Rorschach in AnkhMorpork
by Charafi
Summary: CROSSOVER DISCWORLD / WATCHMEN: Rorschach should have logically died, nobody can survive Manhattan, instead he woke up in Ankh-Morpok on the Disc-World, a world which doesn't care about logic and physical laws.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi ! This is the translation of my fanfic _Rorchach à Ankh-Morpork_ fort those who can't understand French. English is not my native language but I did my best, please correct me if I have written some mistakes. It's a crossover between two of my favorite fictional universes, _Watchmen_ and _Discworld_. I noticed there was only one fanfic about this crossover and I had this crazy idea. It's also my first published fanfic with _Watchkids_, so tell me what you think about it, please. I hope I didn't made Rorschach too OOC.**

**This is a corrected version I did of the first chapter, especially after I saw I had misspelled _Ankh-Morpork_ so many times, why didn't I notice it earlier, I will make the same with the following chapters but don't worry it will not change the story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the universes and characters of _Discworld_ and _Watchmen_, they are the properties of Terry Pratchett and Alan Moore. Don't tell me you're surprised about it, are you ?**

**Chapter 1: Somewhere into the Shades**

" Do it ! " shouted the man, trying hard to hide his fear. It was his last words.

The last thing he saw was Manhattan's arm pointed at him, he felt a terrible pain and then everything turned black.

·][·

He woke up, got up again and put his mask, which was a few meters near him, back on his face, he was alone in the snow but not anymore in Antarctica , squalid houses hardly moonlit rose around him. Paradise or hell ? He didn't believe these two places even existed and it didn't look like the descriptions he's been told about.

" WALTER KOVACS ? "

The words went directly into his mind without passing through the ears, a quite odd feeling.

He looked back and saw a tall black shadow holding a scythe, under the hood he could make out a skull, in his eye sockets blue pinpoints of blue fire were shining, which unpleasantly reminded him of his last vision: Manhattan. It looked like a Halloween disguise, the grim reaper. Stupid.

" Rorschach, " he corrected

" AS YOU WISH. THAT IS STRANGE (He took off his dresses a hourglass, which was slightly blistered, like to allow the sand to keep escaping whereas it should all be in the bottom), YOU SHOULD BE DEAD AND YOU SHOULDN'T BE IN THIS WORLD. "

" Should be dead ? Can only be dead ! Have been killed by Manhattan ! "

" SORRY BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE. BEING DEATH, I AM THE RIGHT PERSON TO TELL YOU THAT YOU'RE NOT. "

" Death ? Grim reaper ? Stupid ! "

He fell upon the man to take off his mask but instead of a mask he found himself with a skull in the hand, the blue flames kept on staring at him.

" Hurm ? … What ?... impossible... "

" EXCUSE ME ? "

Death took back his skull, which had a puzzled look (at least as puzzled as a skull can look), that Walter, surprised, had drop after he realized he was holding the skull of a walking skeleton... After all these centuries doing this job, he thought he had seen everything but no mortals had ever dared to treat him that way.

What was happening goddammit ? That situation was completely absurd, he should have died, he should have never be here and among everything a seven-foot tall walking skeleton claiming to be the Grim Reaper himself was talking to him. Maybe the others were right, maybe he was really mad and that everything he had been through was just an hallucination and that his condition had gotten worst ? No ! It couldn't be... it couldn't be...

" YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE MISTER KOVACS, YOU SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE ON IT. I'M LEAVING NOW, I GOT WORK TO DO. "

A beautiful white horse, not the kind of horse you would expect Death to ride, appeared, the grim reaper saddled on.

Rorschach, who was getting over the shock, finally moved.

" Wait ! Shouldn't be in this world ? If not Earth, where am I ? Wait ! "

Too late, Death had vanished.

·][·

On Earth, more precisely in Antarctica, Nite Owl, whose best friend (1) had just exploded in millions of bloody pieces right under his very eyes, had gone into the base, furious and desperate, to take it out on Ozymandias, the responsible of all this madness. In his hurry, he didn't notice that the only intact belonging that remained from his friend, his hat, had just disappeared.

·][·

The dark streets of Ankh-Morpork were briefly lit by a blue light, a fedora appeared and fall right at the feet of his owner who put it back on his head without wondering, considering that it was more puzzling to have had a face to face with the grim reaper. The vigilante decided to explore the place, he went through many narrow alleyways and met only one problem, a guy had appeared suddenly and asked, pointing a knife at him: "your money or your Ooooooow !". Rorschach had broken two of his fingers, then he let him writhe in pain on the floor after punching him in the face.

If there were others like him in the area, the screams of their colleague had certainly warn them, for Rorschach kept moving in the Shades without meeting any other accident.

He ended up on slightly cleaner streets, more bustling too, people whose costumes go from Middle Ages to the end of the Nineteenth century were wandering about, nobody paid attention to Rorschach, in a city like Ankh-Morpork, strange individuals were nothing unusual.

He choose to walk away and look for less busy streets, he suddenly heard a sound of broken glass and rise his head up: a masked man dressed in black, who was wearing a bag on the side, had broken a window and was sneaking into the house: a burglar.

Rorschach waited fort him to get inside, then he climbed over the gutter and followed the thief.

The man was busy stealing jewels from a fine-cut jewelery box he had just opened, so he didn't heard Rorschach coming closer and closer behind him. The vigilante grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him violently on the floor. The Thief picked himself up and told him, outraged:

" Who the hell are you ? You're not a licensed thief for sure ! Listen, I'm gonna be nice, if you just clear off and touch nothing I will not denounce you to the guild, you got it ? "

But, contrary to what he expected, the man grabbed him by the collar, nearly choking him, and pinned him against the wall.

" Empty your bag ! "

" What ? "

The man strengthened his grip around his neck, the dark ink blots which were moving on his " face " looked like threatening ghosts.

" Okay, Okay ! "

He emptied his bag, completely, a living thief can still steal, a dead one can't, one of the most important rules of the guild.

" Now leg go of me, please ! "

" My pleasure. "

He moved towards the window and pushed him through, the thief crashed a few floors downstairs, shouting meanwhile. The insults he shouted to Rorschach, which were right about his mother by the way, proved he was still alive.

Rorschach was about to leave by the same way the burglar took when he heard someone opening a door behind him.

" What is going on here ? "

A fat man, mister Ankh, a merchant, dressed in a green dressing gown and wearing a nightcap, was looking at Rorschach, at the light of the candlestick he was holding, with surprise and terror.

Mister Ankh begun to call for the Watch but he didn't get the time to finish his sentence, he collapsed right in the middle of it, Rorschach noticed that a poisoned dart was embedded in the man's neck.

He moved towards the hit-man, a slim and elegant man, dressed in black, who looked like a poisonous snake under a human form, holding a thin blowpipe in a hand, he run towards the window and jumped but Rorschach followed him and pinned him on the floor once landed in the street where was still lain the bloody thief who was keeping on insulting Rorschach, with a weaker voice though.

The assassin revealed himself to be more resistant than the thief but he had a weakness: he fought following a code of honor, which especially forbade to kick in the family jewels. The assassins, accomplished gentlemen, didn't practice the vile street-fight, unfortunately for the assassin, Rorschach was, as for him, a specialist of this less than honorable practice.

A circle of bystanders had formed around Rorschach who was punching relentlessly the still struggling assassin. For the inhabitants of Ankh-Morpork, a show was a show, and this one was even more entertaining since one of those stuck-up assassins was being beaten the shit out.

" Ankh-Morpork city Watch, move out of the way ! "

A group of watchmen formed by three humans and a dwarf pushed his way through the crowd.

" Mister, in the name of the law, stop it ! "

The vigilante raised his head and stopped hitting on the unconscious assassin, he noticed they were all wearing a uniform, in spite of the fact that the helmets and breastplates were disparate, probably cops. He didn't intend to let himself being caught this time, never again !

He pushed his way trough the circle of spectators

The watchmen, anomaly brave for young recruits, followed him and succeeded in falling upon him.

The three young men, despite all their good will, were rapidly defeated, the dwarf however revealed himself to be a more tenacious adversary, he seemed better with his axe than his human-colleague were with their broadswords, but he was unarmed all the same by Rorschach and him and the dwarf kept on fighting bare hand whereas one of the men tried, very cautiously however, to get closer to Rorschach.

Suddenly, another man moved towards them.

" Captain Carrot of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, move away please ! "

The crowd moved out of his way immediately.

He moved towards the mad guy who was about to send another punch in the dwarf's face. Carrot grabbed the man's arm right in time and, whereas the masked man was about to fight back, said with a smile:

" Sir, will you please surrender ? All this violence is useless, so stop hitting on these agents, shall you ? "

Rorschach hesitated between two envies: choke the man with his free hand and obey him... One second ! How could he only think about such a thing ? He 's never gonna obey to this guy ! He picked himself up whereas the watchmen moved away from him quickly. What ? He stopped just because this man asked him ? It couldn't be !

" You are under arrest for brutality towards members of the assassins and the thieves guilds and agents of the Watch, please follow us until Pseudopolis Yard without resistance", he added, keeping an imperturbable smile on his face. "It's better this ways, isn't it ? "

If he believed he was going to follow him he could always dream, though Rorschach. Unfortunately, his legs didn't share his position. What was up with himself ? he had never reacted that way before !

And he was being arrested for arresting a thief and an assassin ? What kind of world was that ?

·][·

Commissioner Samuel Vimes was sat in front of his desk on which was accumulated an impressive pile of bumph he brought himself to read an firm for once, he hated it but it was all he could do with a plastered leg, leg broken during a pursuing because of a slippery tile on a roof and certainly not because of his age like his son had insinuated.

The captain Carrot get in with a masked man.

" Good evening commissioner ! "

" Evening captain, who's that ? A suspect ? "

" No, a prisoner. "

" Why is he not handcuffed ? "

" He followed me without opposing resistance, I have just thought the handcuff were unnecessary. "

The man wearing a strange mask, growled hearing this.

" What he's been charged with ? "

" Brutality upon a thief, an assassin and four watchmen, sir. "

Vimes moved towards the man with the help of a crutch:

" Listen, for the other two scumbags, I don't care, I even almost regret I have to arrest you for that, but I have to apply the laws. As for my men, this is another thing. "

The man didn't reacted, at least from what he could see, it is difficult to judge the reactions of someone who is wearing a mask covering the whole face.

" Ask him to take off his mask for the interrogatory captain, he seems to listen to you. "

" Could you please take off this for the time of the interrogatory ? "

Damn ! This smile and this voice which had driven him, God only knows why, to obey for minutes ! But, this, this he wouldn't do, he won't take off his mask, even this man asked him. He kept his hands, which were moving towards his face, from doing it at the last moment. If anybody could have seen through Rorschach's mask at that moment, he could have seen a smile on his face, which is very unusual for him.

Vimes and Carrot decided to interrogate him anyway. Nobby and Colon who had just moved in and had nothing else to do, or didn't want to do anything else, decided to stay and watch.

" Name ? "

" Rorschach. "

" City ? Native country ? "

" New York. "

" New Yerk ? Never heard about it. in what region of the Disc is this city ? " asked Vimes ironically.

" The Disc ? What are you talking about ? "

" He's taking the piss out of us, commissioner, " said Nobby, who put his still burning butt behind his ear and turned to Rorschach. " We're talking about the Disc dickhead ! You know, our world. "

Rorschach fell upon Nobby who hid behind a chair, fortunately Carrot kept the vigilante by the collar just in time.

" Calm down sir, don't make your situation worse. As for you, Nobby, apologize. "

" In front of this bloody stranger ?"

Rorschach felt he was about to disobey Carrot and would soon have his fingers around the neck of this little... little what by the way ?

" Alright, alright, I'm sorry." He added lower: " bugger. "

" Your world, a disc ? You think it's flat ? "

" Yes, it's flat and it's carried by four elephants carried by the great A'Tuin. "

" A'Tuin ? "

" The giant turtle ! "

" Stupid."

" Oh yeah ? An How's the world for you ? "

" Round. "

" You're omnian, by any chance ? "

Another agent, looking quite upset, joined the conversation:

" Nobby, we omnians don't believe anymore in such inanities. " He then turned towards Rorschach offering him a copy of the _Book of Om_. " By the way sir, are you interested by the omnian religion ? "

Rorschach didn't react whereas Vimes asked Visit to go away with his tracts, what he did.

Carrot thought for a moment and then said:

" Commissioner, I remember that the Librarian told us once about some round world."

" Oh yeah, that's right he talked about it, " remembered Nobby. "But I thought he was drunk to say bullshit like that, he even said that the wizards had created this world. "

" So, the wizards are responsible for his presence ? " concluded Vimes

" Yes, in a way, " answered Carrot

" Fine, so bring him to the University, that's their problem now. Carrot, you'll escort him to the University with Detritus. "

" Sorry commissioner but I'm afraid I can't. "

" Why ? "

" It will soon be time to read to Elsa. "

Angua and Carrot got married and had two kids, one of them is a little three years old, Elsa, and his father made it a point of honor to read to her every night at very precise hours. Vimes understood perfectly.

" Can't Angua do this ? "

" It's full moon, sir. "

" Oh. "

He married a werewolf after all.

" What about your son ? "

" Same reason, sir. "

" Aren't you supposed to read _Where's my Cow ?_ to her at six o'clock ? "

" Yes, but at this time I must read her _The Laws and Ordinances of the Cities Ankh and Morpork_. "

Vimes looked at him blankly.

" You're reading _The Laws_ to your daughter in the evening ? This must be great to make her sleep. "

" Not really sir, she's always asking for more. She knows perfectly the first ten articles. "

A light of pride could be seen in his eyes.

Vimes said to himself that when the captain's children join the City Watch, cause with a father like Carrot who is preparing them to it since childhood they will join for sure, they will be dispensed from learning the book.

" Very well. I guess everybody is occupied somewhere else ? "

" Yes, except Nobby and Fred. "

He hadn't much choice. Vimes turned himself towards the two watchmen:

" Corporal Nobbs, Sergeant Colon, you'll escort this man with Detritus to the University, any objection ? "

No objection possible when Vimes was looking at them that way. Nobby an Colon resigned themselves, with many swearing in Nobby's case, then they went out with Detritus and the stranger after Carrot persuaded him not to harm any of them and follow them.

·][·

Colon and Nobbs were talking without according any attention to Rorschach, they thought indeed that the stranger wouldn't be crazy enough to try to escape or doing anything with Detritus in sight, a troll which looked particularly impressive even second trolls critter, which compensate his lack of intelligence, particularly impressive even second trolls critters.

Rorschach took advantage of the inattention of his two guardians and bet on the stupidity he had detected in the troll, he had survived to much more impressive opponents in New York after all. However, he didn't know a troll has nothing to do with a human and hadn't yet dealt with the idea that this world was different from his.

Detritus pursued the runaway, Nobby and Colon followed him but remained cautiously way behind the troll: they heard about what this guy did to the other agents and preferred to let the troll take care of it.

" Hit-and-run offense ! Stop or me hitting on you ! "

Detritus begun to remember quite well the lessons of Vimes and Carrot: not hitting on people immediately but letting them a chance to surrender in a pacific way, Rorschach didn't chose this option.

Detritus came closer to Rorschach who had get into a dead end and slapped him, a smack he considered weak enough to not damage him (2), we should precise that he acted as if humans were trolls, trolls in precious and fragile agatean porcelain then.

Nevertheless, this « little slap » sent the vigilante right against the wall, he fell down near it, unconscious.

The two other watchmen, who stood apart, went finally closer and, after hesitating for a moment, seeing that the psycho was still not moving, Nobby decided to approach the man, or more exactly approach his spear near the man's leg and prick him slightly with it: no reaction, Nobby summed up the situation in one word:

" Shit ! "

**(1) A freeloader and antisocial friend who was not quite the talkative type and cost a lot in door handles, but a friend nonetheless, and more important the kind of guy you prefer to have on your side than against you.**

**(2) Carrot and Vimes told him to show some restraint with the suspects so that they could get suspects who are actually able to speak, which means suspects that will not have to be fed with a straw for the rest of their lives.**

**I am sorry if the speaking of the characters seems unnatural, but as I stated above, I'm not used to speak English, so be indulgent (this doesn't forbid you to correct me).**

**Hope you enjoyed it, send me some reviews please !**


	2. Chapter 2: Unseen University

**Disclaimer: Do you seriously think I would be writing for this site if I had invented Discworld or the Watchmen ? Terry Pratchett and Alan Moore did it before me.**

**Chapter 2: Unseen University**

Rorschach finally surfaced after a few hours, he woke up and noticed there was a mirror in front of him. He could see the damages caused by the troll when he slapped him, black left eye, some bumps and wounds. Wait... eye ? The man in the mirror was Walter Kovacs, not Rorschach, where was his face ? And... he was wearing a dress ! Even worse, a dress decorated with stars and strange symbols.

He left the room, furious, and found himself in what looked like a castle corridor, he found there a little emaciated man wearing a dress similar to the one he was wearing and a pointed hat, he also had a broad smile in his beard and his expression showed he was watching a point located millions light years from this place. He came near the man and shouted:

" Give me back my face ! "

" Pink flower, coolness of woods. "

A lunatic… the only one who could give him any information was a lunatic.

" BURSAR ! " boomed suddenly a tenor voice.

Then others men who were also wearing dresses and pointed hats arrived.

" Oh, the stranger has finally awoken and we've found the Bursar, perfect. " He turned himself towards the others " Hurry, give him the pills ! Let me introduce myself, Archchancelor Ridcully, sir ? "

" Rorschach. "

The imposing wizard grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously, making Rorschach swaying.

" You can let go of my hand, you know, young man. "

" I'm trying, " answered the redhead,who was trying to free his hand trapped into the Archchancellor's hand like into a mantrap, trap which finally opened itself.

" Where are my clothes ? Tired of this ridiculous dress. "

" Hey, remain polite ! This ridiculous dress as you call it was one my most beautiful when I was your age, " roared the Dean.

That explained the breadth of the dress in which we could have put at least ten Walter.

" **Who** undressed me ? "

" And washed you. "

" What ? "

" You've been washed too, sorry to say you that but you smelled even worse than Modo's compost when you arrived. "

Rorschach's hair and face merged for a moment: someone had dared undress him and, worse, washed him.

" My clothes ! "

" Al right, all right, MRS WHITLOW ! " boomed the Archchancelor.

" Yes, sir ? " asked a strong-looking woman. " Hour guest is hawaken as I can see, hello, I see that mhy Lancre Whild Strawberry soap (1) has triumphed of this hawful smell. "

The face of the vigilante, who was now shaking, blushed even more.

" She… she has… "

" Undressed and washed you ? That's right, this good old Mrs Whitlow has done it, » said the Senior Wrangler who added lower, after giving Rorschach a tap on the back and winking at him: « you lucky bastard ! »

" MY CLOTHES ! "

" Fhine, fhine, dho not get hupset, I ham going to go and get them but they hare not dry yhet. "

Rorschach had never felt so humiliated in his whole life: a woman had him undressed, he was wearing a dress and... he smelled of strawberry ! A vigilante who smelled of strawberry, inconceivable. He would have never believed before this moment being relieved that the Comedian was dead.

She came back.

" Here they hare, sir. "

Rorschach took them back from her dryly , she left straight away, and he went back in the room, slamming the door. His clothes smelled of strawberry too.

" A rather nervous young man. "

" Maybe he would need the Bursar's dried frog pills. "

The door opened suddenly.

" Where's my face ? Give me back my face ! " yelled the man, grabbing the Senior Wrangler by the collar.

"Your face ? But you bear it on yourself, like everyone ! "

" This is Walter Kovacs's face, not Rorschach's face ! "

Personality disorders on top of everything ! The Watch really gave them a troublemaker.

" Wait, I think he's speaking of his mask. "

" We would have better find it quickly, Archchancelor, he seems more furious than before. "

" Indeed. "

" Sir, be assured we will find your face in quickly. Gentlemen, make yourselves useful and find where the " face " of this nutcase (2) could be. "

" Stibbons could have it, Archchancelor, he has spoken about study it further. "

" All right, we're going to ask him in this case. "

They quickly went to the High Energy Magic Building, followed closely by Rorschach.

" MISTER STIBBONNNNNNNNS ! "

" Yes Archchancelor ? " answered a rather pale young man wearing spectacles.

Rorschach intervened before Ridcully could say anything.

" My face ! "

" Beg your pardon ? "

" He wants his mask, give it back immediately so that he calms down ! "

" He seems to care a lot about it, " added the Senior Wrangler

" I admit I would have liked to study it, but I don't have it. "

" WHAT ? "

" But could you lend it to me so that I can study it once you get it back ? And could you answer some questions about your world ? " asked an enthusiastic Stibbons

Enthusiasm which chilled considerably when Rorschach, clenching his fists, got closer growling in a threatening way. The conservation instinct of Stibbons triumphed over his curiosity.

" Hem… forget what I've just said. "

" Archchancelor », said the Senior Wrangler, " maybe the mask is still at the laundry room, Mrs Whitlow probably let it dry there. "

" Good idea, Senior Wrangler. Everyone to the laundry room ! "

Once arrived in the laundry room, Rorschach was about to open the door but Ridcully stopped him.

" Hey ! This is the domain of Mrs Whitlow, you need her authorization to come in. "

" You are the Archchancelor. You supervise everything here, right ? "

" Everything except this room. "

The Archchancelor knocked at the door, Mrs Whitlow opened.

" Yers sir ? "

" Sorry to disturb you Mrs Whitlow, but Mr. Kovacs… "

" Rorschach ! "

" If you insist, in short, he would like to get his mask back, have you seen it by any chance ? "

" Yes, I wanted to wash it but these hawful stains didn't go hoff, it's drying there. "

Rorschach ran towards his mask and quickly smiled noticing it hadn't suffered any damages, then put it on immediately.

" Sir, you hare going to catch ha cold, it's still wet. "

He answered by a growl which could be translated by " don't give a damn. "

" Bhesides, I dhont't hunderstand why you hare hiding your fhace like that, you hare not hugly and you don't smell hanymore. Try to smile a little and you will maybe find a fiancée. "

He left the laundry room quickly, decided to leave this asylum as soon as possible, especially this woman, but he was kept from leaving by Ridcully, who shut the trapman he called himself a hand around his arm.

" Hey, not so fast, you're under our responsibility, and we're going to see the patrician to discuss your case. "

" The patrician ? "

" Vetinari, he's the ruler of this city. "

·][·

" Mrs Whitlow ? " asked one the maidservants

" Yes ? "

" There is a problem with the sheets. "

The white sheets were indeed covered with mainly black stains but also some other, red and blue, which were dancing on the fabric without ever blend however.

" These hare not proper sheets, throw them haway. "

And a street-urchin of Ankh-Morpork, the face hidden by a large cap, found one of this blankets and, fascinated by the dancing stains, decided to bring it with him, forgetting the most important thing: something coming from the University mustn't be touched.

**(1) Registered trademark Nanny Ogg.**

**(2) Ridcully had an amazing capacity to ignore the people he was talking about, even if they were psychopaths about to explode.**

**I did my best concerning Mrs Whitlow's particular way of speaking, I must say I've never read in original version the books where she appears and even in french Madame Panaris (that's how we call her) has a language rather difficult to imitate.**


	3. Chapter 3: Rincewind and Rorschach

**Disclaimer: Discworld and Watchmen are the properties of Terry Pratchett and Alan Moore, I just borrow their character without being paid.**

**Thank to Rakaziel for his review and to the others who've read my story, hope you enjoyed it**

**In this chapter, Rincewind appears and Rorschach discovers the Seamstresses Guild, enjoy !**

**Chapter 3: Rincewind and Rorschach**

The Patrician was playing Thud against himself in the Oblong office.

Drumknott, his secretary, entered:

"Sir ?"

"Yes, Drumknott ?"

"The Archchancellor is here with the masked stranger."

"The one who threw away a window a thief and nearly killed an assassin ?"

"Himself, sir."

"Fine. Let them come in."

"Good morning Archchancelor Ridcully and sir, how should I call you, Kovacs or Rorschach ?"

Rorschach noticed the man was well-informed. Some Veidt's equivalent maybe ?

"You're guilty of a terrible crime in Ankh-Morpork: disturbing the members of two honorable guilds in their activities, you make unable to work for a while the honorable Nimble Fingers and Mr De Mort is seeking for compensation. Very nice for your first day in Ankh-Morpork."

"I'm accused of arresting criminals ?"

The Patrician thought he had been lucky with Carrot: when he first arrived in Ankh-Morpork, he arrested a thief for stealing but didn't harm him and, the most important, he learned quite fast he mustn't arrest licensed thieves.

"No, of arresting professionals. You see, here in Ankh-Morpork crime is organized: the Thieve' Guild must respect a definite quota on theft and robbery and assassins only accept to kill, in an elegant way moreover, in exchange of an important amount of money and they don't kill people without any importance."

"To make it short: high class professional killers."

"You can say it so," replied Vetinari joining his fine fingers. "But avoid saying it in front of them. And they take care by themselves of the unlicensed thieves and assassins, this way order is maintained."

No, he didn't want to create an utopia, just maintain a certain "order", definitely nothing in common with Veidt.

"As for you, the Thieves' Guild would like to replace the skeleton decorating their weathercock, some unlucky unlicensed thief who wasn't fast enough, by yours, as for the assassins... better not talking about it. But, fortunately for you, we have found an agreement: you shall remain inside the University and if you want to go out you will have to be with a wizard, do you agree with that ?"

"Hurm ?"

"I shall take that as a "yes". The fact you are a stranger who's not aware of the customs and laws of our beautiful city has a great importance in this leniency, so the next time you want to face a thief or an assassin, choose the unlicensed ones, or even better, let them to the Watch or the concerned guilds. I hope you will enjoy the time you'll spend among us. Don't let me detain you."

A chaperon ! They dared to stick him with a chaperon !

·][·

In the Unseen University, an emaciated wizard had just left his classroom, once again he had seen no student, it was heaven ! It must be said that the Cruel and Unusual geography, the discipline he was teaching , was a powerful repellent against students and he didn't want to see them. In short, everything was perfect. But for some years, everything had been going too well for him, nobody had tried to kill him or drag him into some adventure. The Lady and Fate were probably preparing something particularly horrible for him for having let him in peace such a long time.

"Ah, Rincewind, here you are !"

Speaking of the devil...

"Er... hello Archchancelor."

"Have you heard of our guest, Rorschach ?"

He showed the faceless man, immobile like a statue, who was standing next to him.

"Yes."

"But you haven't seen him yet ?"

"I have been actually trying to avoid him since his apparition."

"I have a work for you.

An alarm unclenched inside Rincewind's head: when your superior arrive with a sentence like "I have a work a you" it didn't announce anything good.

"What kind of work ?"

Rincewind's eyes were looking everywhere for a potential way to escape.

"You're gonna keep watch on Rorschach, you will have to be with him every time when he's out of the University. You're entirely responsible for him, if anything happens, you'll be accountable for it before the Patrician."

They stared at each other for a moment. Rincewind was scared by the mask whereas Rorschach was surprised by the chaperon's choice.

"You should make him visit the city, what do you think about it Rorschach ?"

He thought about it: that would be a good way to get more information about this world and eventually find a way to escape. Rincewind, as for him, hoped he would say no. The last time he had been asked to show the city to a stranger , the stranger was TwoFlower... and this one appeared to be worse than the tourist, for what he had heard, the man had fought an assassin, a thief and watchmen, so he looked more like a younger version of Cohen the Barbarian, which frightened him even more.

"Yes."

"Perfect, I'm leaving you. Have a nice day !"

Rincewind made a quick summary of his situation: a masked man, coming from an unknown place, quite a lot aggressive and disturbed, and he was responsible for him, which promised to drag him into dangerous situations. Great, just great.

The man named Rorschach was about to leave.

"You want to go outside ? Already ?"

He turned towards the wizzard.

"Hurm."

"Well, let's go."

That was gonna to be fun...

·][·

Once they were outside, the masked man began to ask him questions.

"Ankh-Morpork. What can you tell me about this city ?"

"Er, Ankh-Morpork was born from the union of two cities, Ankh and Morpork, and the legend tells it has been founded by twin brothers brought up by an hippopotamus and another legend tells that it was born from the dunghill ejected from a great boat on which a guy had taken on board every animals..."

"The organization ?" asked Rorschach who was not quite fond of foundation myths.

"The Patrician Vetinari has organized the city into various guilds, such as the Assassins' Guild, the Thieves' Guild, ..."

"Know them already."

"... the Beggars' Guild, the Seamstresses' Guild, the Dogs' Guild,..."

"Dogs' Guild ?"

"I know, it's unbelievable, but it does exist."

Rorschach shook his head: this Discworld where he ended up was definitely a crazy world.

Cut-Me-Own-Throat-Dibbler approached.

"Hi Rincewind ! Still alive ? Oh, a stranger, hey ? Visiting our beloved city ? You should try some local specialties, ya know."

Why not ? After all, he was hungry.

The streetseller kept speaking.

"Pie , sausage-in-a-bun..."

Some kind of hot-dog probably.

"A sausage-in-a-bun," he turned towards Rincewind. "Want something ?"

"N.. no."

The stranger took the bun containing a sausage guaranteed cent per cent by Dibbler, anyone would have thought he implied "cent per cent pure pork" but thinking this way, they couldn't complain about the fact it didn't taste like pork afterward since Dibbler had never explicitly said the word, and he got away with it. (1)

Then Dibbler looked to Rincewind.

"Hey, wizard, guess you're paying for that ?" he asked on a ton that implied he would cut the throat of Rincewind if he didn't pay.

Rincewind paid and rejoined Rorschach who had raised up his mask until the nose and was eating.

"You should have told me you were hungry, there're many place where the food is way better, little klatchian restaurants for example, they made a delicious curry, or the agatean food. Wait... You've already eaten all this ? Er, did you like it ?"

"Was fine."

"Oh."

The stranger had definitely strange tastes.

"Wait !"

He backed up and looked at Rorschach.

"Er, you coat is a mess."

"Hurm ?"

"You should look at it, really."

Rorschach took off his trench-coat and looked at it: the back was completely torn into shreds ! Why hadn't he noticed it before ? He must have put on his coat too fast when they gave him back his clothes.

"How ?"

"They must have used the improved machine to wash clothes of Bloody Stupid Johnson, they've discovered it recently and the Archchancelor wanted absolutely to test it one day or another."

The other kept on staring at him, or more exactly a white face with moving black stains was staring at him, what was rather disturbing, but he supposed the man was expecting more explanations.

"Bloody Stupid Johnson was a very prolific inventor but his inventions didn't always work, at least not for the use they were designed for. For example, he invented an improved manicure device they're using to peel potatoes in the University's kitchen."

"You've spoken about a Seamstresses' Guild earlier, right ?"

"Er, yes."

Rorschach put his coat back on and moved.

"Let's go."

Rincewind had to follow him but he thought the stranger would at least let him in peace the time he visited one of Mrs Palm's girls.

·][·

It was a rather calm day in Rosie Palm's house, we must also say that most of the clients come during the night, that's why she's been surprised to see two clients passer the door, two rather strange clients by the way, a masked man and an emaciated wizard.

The masked man came to Rosie's desk.

"Is it the Seamstresses' guild ?"

"Yes, pretty face."

Ridiculous. How could she say if he had a "pretty face" or not with this mask ? Ridiculous and insulting. He mustn't hit her, she was maybe a little strange like this, he shuddered with the thought, Mrs Whitlow from the University, he had to refrain himself, he needed her help.

"Come to ask you a service."

"But my girls are here for that, sir."

He began to take off his trench-coat.

"Er... sir, wait to be in a room to take off your clothes, it's a house of good reputation here."

He threw the foul-smelling coat, clothes gets dirty very fast in Ankh-Morpork, whose the back was torn into shreds on the desk. Rosie Palm mentally took notice to ask the cleaning lady to especially take care of this piece of furniture.

"You could sew it up ?"

She didn't answer and look at him speechless: it wasn't a client. Definitely. Oh gods ! It didn't happen since the creation of the guild.

"But..."

He interrupted her.

"If you don't have time, just give me brown thread and a needle, can do it myself."

"Sir, we are not this kind of seamstresses."

"Hurm ?"

"Er, Rorschach, I think you misunderstood the word "seamstress," said Rincewind. "We use this word to speak of ladies of negotiable affection... HEY !"

"Whores ! You little..."

He grabbed the wizard by the collar and pinned him against a particularly expensive quirmian tapestry.

"Hey ! You're the one who asked to go there, remember !"

"Excuse-me," said an unknown voice

Rorschach and Rincewind looked towards the direction the voice came from.

There was a rather skinny teenager wearing grimy coat and pants and a brown cap letting some red locks out.

"Oliver !" cried Mrs Palm. "When have you come in ? And where did you put the clothes ?"

"When the hooded guy has nabbed the wizard, and don't worry 'bout the gear, I've left them to Miss Scarlet."

He turned his smiling face spotted with freckles, or more exactly the giant freckle spotted with little white stains he has for a face, towards Rorschach.

"Seriously sir, you didn't know what was a seamstress ? Where d'you come from ?"

Rorschach growled in a threatening way whereas Rincewind was trying to warn he young foolhardy one.

"Er, kid, you would better not talk to him like this, believe-me."

"Don't worry, wizard," he searched his pockets and took out of it a reel of brown sewing thread he reached out to Rorschach. "I've heard you needed it I think..."

Rorschach was about to take them but the teenager took off his hand quickly.

"Hey ! They're not for free ! Ten pounds cause you looks like a good fellow to me. You take or you go, your choice."

The boy could gave you a good idea of what a typical Morporkian is: someone who never misses a single opportunity to make business.

Rorschach turned towards Rincewind who, after looking up, exasperated, gave the kid his money.

"Thank sir and welcome to Ankh-Morpork !"

Welcome, yes, this city was maybe not so different from New York finally, except the presence of wizards, trolls and God only what else. But he had to deal with it until he find a way to come back.

He left the house, sat on the floor and began to sew up the coat whereas Rincewind was waiting next to him wondering why the gods did that to him and why the hell such things only happened to him.

·][·

"Here for the delivery young man, for the delivery and a special treat for getting us rid of the nutjob."

"Thank Ma'am, a pleasure working for ya Ma'am, see ya !"

The young delivery boy went back home, in Mrs Cake's pension on Elm Street, and unfolded the fabric. The black, red and blue stains which were dancing had intrigued him but now he knew what to do with it. Oliver took out scissors, sewing thread, sewing needles and equipment to measure. But, before he started to work, he wondered briefly how the man could see and breathe through this thing. Anyway, if this guy succeeded, there was no reason he couldn't.

**(1) For the translation of this passage I considerably changed the sentence because I have found no way to translate the french pun in English.**

**For those who hadn't read the french version of the fic, here the original sentence:**

**« L'étranger prit le petit pain contenant une saucisse garantie 100% pure cochonnerie par Planteur, qui n'a cependant jamais précisé qu'il s'agissait de cochon et encore moins de viande, et s'éloigna avec. »**

**The word "cochonnerie" could be translated in English by "junk", here for junkfood. I have done in this phrase a pun between "cochonnerie" and "porc" (pork) because "cochon" ("pig") is a synonymous of "porc" in french and "cochonnerie" comes from this word. If I had translated the sentence literally, it would have be:**

"**The stranger took the bun containing a sausage guaranteed cent per cent pure junk by Dibbler, who had however never said it was pork, and also never said it was meat, and he got away with it."**

**That's all until next chapter, speaking about it I must tell that I have already written most of the following chapter, but they're uncorrected, untranslated and the final chapters have not been written, and mostly I don't have precise ideas for the ending. So until, I got more precise ideas for the last chapters I will maybe not post for a moment, so please excuse for that. This is also because of my evaluations at college.**


	4. Chapter 4: Fredson

**Disclaimer: I don't own Terry Pratchett's Discworld nor Alan Moore's Watchmen, and I don't get paid on it.**

**How many times will I have to repeat it ?**

**Apparition of Fredson, the first between the Discworld's equivalents of the watchmen you will see later. Finally, I can say that a character is mine !**

**Chapter 4: Fredson**

Rincewind and the vigilante got back to the University once the night had fallen, the Archchancelor, followed by Stibbons, run on them. Rincewind wondered why, Rorschach didn't do anything and he didn't left him.

"Mister Stibbons here forgot to tell you a little something, Rorschach."

"Archchancelor, I asked you the authorization two months ago but I have never got any answer," protested Stibbons. "So, I decided to improvise."

Ridcully thought to the pile of bumph which piled up on his desk, he never touched it by principle: it was not his business from his point of view.

"Anyway, just explain him what happened Stibbons."

"I wanted to make an inhabitant of the Roundworld come on the Disc after having succeeded to make come this device I'm holding. Hey !"

Rorschach had grabbed the bean-can Stibbon had just taken out.

"Give me back the thing, please," he turned towards the Archchancelor. "Say something !"

"Sorry Stibbons, it comes from his homeworld, so we can consider it's his property."

Ponder sighed and continued his explanation.

"What was I saying ? Oh yes, the experiment didn't go according to the plan however. The man from the Roundworld was supposed to appear inside the University but you appeared in the Shades, I had even thought the experiment had failed before the Watch bring you here."

"So, I'm here cause of you ?"

"Er... yes."

Stibbons begun to back up, but, unexpectedly, the masked man said:

"Thank you."

After a few minutes, Stibbons' heart came back to a normal rhythm.

"Why ?"

"Would be dead if it wasn't for you."

"What ?"

Then he explained them all what happened to him in his world.

·][·

Rorschach decided to learn more about this new world, especially about this city. He learned thanks to Rincewind that the Unseen University had the biggest library on the Disc. He managed to find the Library after wandering for more than three hours in the corridors (he hadn't asked any information to the wizards or the students, he wanted as often as possible to avoid any contact with these nutjobs, moreover it allowed him to take information about the place), he was about to get into the endless rows of bookshelves when Rincewind appeared suddenly and shouted:

"Are you crazy ? We can't get inside this place alone !"

"Rincewind, thought you were supposed to stay with me when outside."

"Yes, but unfortunately I happen to be responsible for you. I tell you by the way that we only found three days ago the corpse of the last wizard who tried to look for a book into the library alone ten years ago ! You have to ask the Librarian."

Rorschach turned back and joined Rincewind who was standing near a filthy blanket.

"Someone ?"

What Rorschach had mistaken for an orange blanket move and said "Oook" to him.

"Librarian's pet ?"

"He is the Librarian."

"Your librarian is a mon..."

Rincewind made him shut up immediately.

"Don't pronounce the word ! He can't stand being called a M.O.N.K.E.Y, he's an anthropoid."

"So, your librarian is a m... anthropoid ?"

"Yes, once he was a wizard, he's been changed into an orangutang after a magical accident. We keep him this way because he's never wanted to be changed back into a human and because he's the only one who know how to find his way in the Library."

Rorschach turned towards the primate who gave him and interrogating "Oook".

"Everything you have about Discworld and Ankh-Morpork."

The supra-orbital ridges of the Librarian formed a V and he gave an impatient and upset Oook to the vigilante, he was not only fussy about the way he was called but also about good manners.

"Please ?" tried Rorschach

The orangutang went then into the jungle of bookshelves, letting the wizard and the vigilante waiting.

·][·

The orangutang came back with numerous books of the _Encyclopedia disci mundi_, books about Ankh-Morpork and maps of the city.

Rincewind was about to leave but he turned back:

"Rorschach, it will soon be dinner time, don't you want to eat before reading ?"

Rorschach, sat in front of the books, raised the bean-can.

"Oh, good evening then."

Once the wizard gone, the vigilante opened the can and was about to eat but the Librarian gave him a disapproving "Oook" glaring with a dark eye the can because the sauce could go on his precious books, Rorschach got away from the books and decided he would read after eating.

·][·

Rorschach had been staying into the library for many days, he had read _The History of Ankh-Morpork_ an read until book X the _Encyclopedia disci mundi_ and trained to memorize a city map. Except Rincewind who came sometimes but didn't bother him, he was a friend of the Librarian from why he heard, the only other wizard who came and see him int the Library was Stibbons who wanted to convince him to take part to experiments linked to Roundworld and ask him various questions. However, he succeeded to make him flee by throwing at his face the book V of the _Encyclopedia disci mundi_ (1) but the Librarian, furious, began a fight with Rorschach, the anthropoid won and the human was quite ashamed of it, Rincewind was the only witness (2).

·][·

Rorschach finally came one week after in the Great Hall of the University, a place crowded with wizards, he hoped they wouldn't notice him since they were so busy to eat and digest, unfortunately for him this wasn't not the case.

"Well, here comes a ghost !"

"Yes, he must be tired of his night-trips"

"Hurm ?"

The vigilante dropped the sandwich he wanted to bring back with him to the Library (3).

"Oh, don't act as if you didn't know, it's written in the newspaper, on the front page."

Then the Dean took out an edition of _The Times_, the most popular newspaper in Ankh-Morpork (4), and read aloud:

_A masked vigilante struggles against the gangs of the Shades_, so ?"

"Can't be me."

"He looks a lot like you though," pointed out the Senior Wrangler, who grabbed the newspaper from the Dean. "The article says that the "Terror of the Shadows" is little..."

Rorschach was clenching his fists, Rincewind motioned his colleague to shut up but he went on without taking care of the warnings.

"... moreover, he wears a hat, a coat and... (5) a white mask with moving stains. If not you, then who is he ? Some relative ?"

The Archchancelor turned towards Rincewind who was desperately looking for a way to escape.

"Rincewind, you were responsible for him and you let him go out alone ?"

"Not Rincewind's fault. Have remained all the time in the Library, you can ask the Librarian (6)."

Rorschach left the Great Hall after saying that.

·][·

In the tiny room of Rincewind, Rorschach woke without making any noise. The wizards placed him with Rincewind since he was responsible for him, the wizard had offered him his bed but he declined: he preferred the floor. He had decided to see this vigilante who looked strangely like him by his own eyes and he preferred to go and look for him alone. A man like Rincewind would be like a millstone around his neck in a place such as the Shades, the worst district of Ankh-Morpork for what he's heard about, he managed it pretty well though whereas he had just arrived but maybe he had only been lucky, better remain careful.

He was bout to open the door when suddenly Rincewind began to move. False alarm, he moved his legs and arms but remained in his bed, probably dreaming something was pursuing him, but he didn't wake up.

Once in the empty University's corridors, he unclenched the mechanism to open one of the numerous passages secrets which allowed to leave the University, not so secret ways since all the students seemed to know them. He learned their existence by observing the students who went over the wall while he was coming back from the Library.

He reached a tavern not far from the University and from there he went to the Shades.

·][·

He finally arrived in the quarter of the infamous quarter. This research fort the vigilante would also be a way to get his bearings, he hadn't managed to find a map of the Shades, on most of the maps, on the indication "the Shades", instead of the detail of the streets we could read such things as "Terra incognita that must remain incognita", "Beware, danger !", "Why would you go here, seriously ?", etc. He had however found an attempt of precise cartography of the Shades made three centuries ago by some Joseph Badluck: only three streets were drawn. Investigating further, he learned that the author of this map had been found pretty much everywhere in the Shades.

When he reached the end of one of the three streets indicated by late Badluck, Rorschach only met a filthy kid who ran away, a terrified look on his face, when he saw him, the he heard familiar sounds: the sounds that are heard during every street-fights, yells and insults of the fighters and the sounds of their hits. One fighter especially drew his, since he wore a mask, it was undoubtedly this "Terror of the Shades" the Times was talking about.

·][·

Stinky Jack and his gang had just met for the first time the one called the Terror of the Shades, to say the truth they had even looked for him. This masked jerk only met less important gangs, little thugs, wimps. Jack told himself seeing the "Terror" that these guys must be more losers than he first believed, for gods' sake ! it was just moron who didn't even have the guts to show his face ! Besides, that's what he called him when he found him. He must admit now, he had underestimated him, this little fella revealed himself quite good at dodge knocks, moved quickly and even gave nasty knocks, especially to Iron Grip, this little bastard kicked him in the family jewels, putting him down and out. What the fuck ? The weirdos who wanted to make justice themselves normally had some stupid honor code that forbids such things, right ? A good news however, the "Terror" was getting exhausted, he would not stand any longer at this rhythm and they were seven to be still on their feet. But, right at the moment he had sent the little bastard on the floor, another crazy masked guy appeared ! He wore the same weird mask but was much stronger. Jack managed to go away, the members of his gangs didn't, most of them were unconscious, at least they looked like, and wounded.

The vigilante turned towards Rorschach after he gave a last punch to a guy who were begging him so that he let him go (7).

"Thank you sir."

Rorschach could see him better better now. He was slightly more little and thinner than him and looked like a version of himself that could have been met in the Victorian London, he was wearing a top-hat and a big-collar coat both brown which had known better days and his mask looked like his own except that little red and blue stains coexisted with the black ones.

"Your name ?"

"I have not found one yet, but I maybe got an idea: one of the guy I was punching said: "Ya seen his noodle ? Looks like Bloody bastard Fredson's stains (8)". Bloody Bastard Fredson, what d'ya think about it ?

"Just Fredson, better."

"Yep, sounds good. What's your name ?"

"Rorschach."

"Was a pleasure to meet you Rorschach. Bye !"

He turned back but Rorschach kept him, he won't let him go away like this.

"One last question: your age ?"

The other shrugged:

"Don't know, guess fourteen or fifteen."

"Don't know how old you are ? Don't tell me your parents never told you."

"I don't have any parents."

An orphan. It justified even more the idea he had in mind when he decided to look fort the vigilante.

"But don't worry, I manage it quite well, got a job, well many jobs, and even a room, a proper one, really."

"Listen carefully Fredson, no way you go in the street alone again."

"Hey ! I can defend myself, as you've just seen !"

"Got potential, but don't protect yourself enough. They would have killed you if I hadn't been there."

"Listen, I've already told you, I can defend my... HEY !"

The teen had just fallen on his knees, bent because of the punch Rorschach gave him in the stomach, he got back on his feet and tried to respond.

"Why the hell did you do that ? You... OW !"

The only effort Rorschach had to make was to move away from the path of the young vigilante who was pouncing on him, he didn't fall on Rorschach but on the cobblestones.

"See ? Still much to learn."

Fredson got back on his feet and grumbled but he was a fast-learner: he didn't try to take his revenge and listened.

"And I accept to teach you, which means: you don't go out without me, got it ?"

"Yep."

"Good, every night near the Mended Cauldron, it's..."

"A seedy tavern not far from the University, I know."

"Fine. See you tomorrow Fredson."

"See ya Rorschac OUCH ! Fucking hell ! Not again !"

Rorschach turned back, the vigilante-in-training had just hit his face against a wall and had put his hand on the nose while he was still swearing a lot.

"Stop swearing like this. What happened ?"

"Nothing, just this fuck... damned mask, it's the sixth time it happens ! I can hardly see and breathe through this thing. How do you do that ?"

"You'll get used to it."

They finally left, Rorschach thought he would make a good partner once he would have trained more and swear less, and the most important: Fredson's situation was less dangerous if he was with him.

·][·

The sun had just dawned when he went back into Rincewind's room, the wizard by the way seemed to have recovered from his nightmares and was snoring, he decided to wake him up.

"Rincewind ?"

He shook him a little by a shoulder but Rincewind awoke yelling and tried to run away, Rorschach caught him up by the collar while he was still running though not making any progress.

"Rincewind, it's just me, Rorschach, not some guy who wants to kill you."

Rincewind indeed was speaking when asleep, the motivation to sneak out at nightfall was not only go back to his crusade against crime but also the will to be away from Rincewind while he was sleeping.

He stopped running, so Rorschach let him go off.

"Rorschach, it is too early, everybody is sleeping at this time."

"Wrong. Seen Archchancelor running around the University."

"Everybody except Ridcully," corrected Rincewind

Rorschach took a little notebook, he leafed through and showed it to the wizard.

"Nothing written inside. Need it ?"

"If I give it to you, will you let me sleep ?"

"Yes."

"It's yours then."

He fell asleep, Rorschach began to write, he awoke Rincewind one last time to ask him the date.

_Rorschach J__ournal, __Century of the Anchovy_

_Not pulverized by Manhattan, ended up in Ankh-Morpork, city on the Discworld. Very strange place, crazy natives: wizards, dwarves, trolls and legal murder. Live in the Unseen University, wizards live here, stuck with one of them, Rincewind, totally harmless but of no use._

_Met a vigilante in the Shades, Fredson, curiously similar to me, decided to train him and supervise him so that nothing happens to him. Promising one, flaws: not cautious enough, swears too much._

_Must investigate further._

**(1) The CI of "disci" and the DI of "mundi" could still be seen on the chin and the forehead of Stibbons a week after. This accident confirmed the Archchancelor in his opinion about being stuck in the books too long, it gave nothing good.**

**(2) who hurried to swear on all the gods he knew that he would not talk about this to anyone while Rorschach just began to recover from the red flash which hit him in the face. The Librarian, who was not a bad winner, apologized immediately by giving a peanut bag to Rorschach.**

**(3) The Librarian had eaten all the peanuts and bananas.**

**(4) The author swears you she doesn't advertise for this newspaper, it doesn't need it, it the best-sold newspaper of Ankh-Morpok and even the Disc. "Harga's pork chops, there's nothing better, 90 per cent real meat guaranteed !" (Yes, the author gets paid by Harga since Pratchett and Moore refused to pay for it. As for the Gunga Diner, they haven't answered yet...)**

**(5) The Senior Wrangler thought that delaying his answer created a very appreciated theatrical effect, in fact it just annoyed people, especially the disturbed vigilantes.**

**(6) It was half a lie: Rorschach once a day left the library for the gymnasium, he was the only one in the University, except Ridcully and the Librarian, who used this room. By a curious coincidence, Ridcully was always busy somewhere else (yelling at the Bursar or hunting for example) when Rorschach was in.**

**(7) He meant "Please, let me go !" but since some teeth were missing, rotten for most of them, so not a big loss, it gave something like "Hease, he hi ho !".**

**(8) Fredson, more often referred as Bloody Bastard Fredson, was the first psychiatrist of the Disc. He tried to understand the human mind using black or colored inkblots ans asking people "what do you see ? An don't tell me just inkblots, it's not constructive and had strange theories about the relation between parents and children. He prematurely died, killed by a patient who didn't appreciated being diagnosed as a pervert because of what the inkblots look like to him and, the most important, being accused of wanting to do nasty things to his mum when he was a kid.**

**I am sorry, in the french version, I have forgotten the note about Bloody Bastard Fredson, so I repaired here.**

**Hope you liked it !**


	5. Chapter 5All wolves are grey in the dark

**Disclaimer: I confess, I invented the Discworld and Watchmen, Terry Pratchett and Alan Moore are just pen-names.**

**Me: You can't believe it, right ?... Crap, Rorschach !... OK, OK, I confess, I'm none of these two authors mentioned above and I didn't invented these two worlds and er... I don't get paid, not even a pence. I swear... Can you free my fingers now ? OW ! My fingers dammit ! Why did you do that ?**

**Rorschach: Chapter 2.**

**Me: Oh, that's right... I maybe deserved it a little. Hey ! Who's handcuffed me ?**

**Vimes: You're under arrest for robbery attempt. All you will say can be used against you.**

**Me: Characters, fucking ungrateful little...**

**Vimes: Insult to a watchman, you're making your case worse !**

**Don't worry dear readers, I have been able to get out of that and I can still type with one hand.**

**Apparition of Grey Wolf, my second original character.**

**Chapter 5: All wolf are grey in the dark**

_Rorschach' journal, __Century of the Anchovy_

_Have been in the Shades with Fredson for two weeks. Had something done with the Librarian so everybody think I'm in the library at night _(1)._ Fredson: a lot of progress, more careful, but for the language: no improvement._

In the Shades, it looked like it would be a calm night, no gangs, no criminals, had showed up for three hours. Finally they heard a woman screaming, they ran towards the source: a young woman was being assaulted by four scums, one of them looked like a troll made of flesh instead of stone.

The two vigilantes were about to intervene but another one revealed himself faster than them: a grey shadow appeared suddenly form the top of a roof to land among the thugs, the two masked vigilantes came to help him. The newcomer was a good and ferocious fighter, when he was fighting he looked like a wolf jumping to his assailants' throat from everywhere.

One of the thugs, the one who looked like a troll, tried to kick him him below the belt, but he hit his foot on it and stopped fighting to moan, huddled up, whereas the new vigilante didn't seem to be suffering at all.

Once the two black and white masked vigilantes, to be more precise with a little red and blue for the younger one, arrested the two last criminals, the newcomer came next to them and introduced himself:

"Evening. Let me introduce myself, Grey Wolf."

Then he hold out his hand, Fredson took it and introduced himself, he waited a little for Rorschach to do the same but he gave up and just learned his name.

Grey Wolf was an appropriate name for the new masked hero: he was a well built young man wearing a wolf fur as a cape, the wolf head was a hood, a black domino mask hid his face so that only the lower part of it, which wore a confident smile, could be seen. The rest of his costume was dark grey, almost black. He also wore a loincloth, bracers around his forearms and boots, all made of grey fur.

He gave them a rope.

"Could you help me to tie them up ?"

They did. The young man put a card with stylized grey wolf head near the tied up thugs whereas Fredson put his own like Rorschach had seen him do when he first met him, his signature looked a lot like the symbol he used: two black rods with one black point on each side, except that on Fredson's card one of the point was blue and the other red. He left his card too.

"Done," concluded Grey Wolf, satisfied. "The Watch's task will be easier this way."

"You give them to the Watch ! That's better for these assholes for sure, would have been different if the Satan Sisters had found them instead of you."

The woman had told that. Strange, noticed Rorschach, usually they ran away while he had his way with the assailant. Ankh-Morpork was maybe different from New York on some points maybe.

"The Satan Sisters ?" asked the masked hero

"You've never heard about them ?" said a surprised Grey Wolf

"The Satan Sisters are responsible for the security and Ankh-Morpork seamstresses by the guild," precised Fredson. "I've heard they do things more horrible than the Agony Aunts to the few idiots that threatens the seamstresses ! The Agony Aunts were in the business before," he added.

A seamstress ! He should have seen it early, the young woman was wearing a little handbag, her dress was open on the sides and way too low-cut.

"By the way, why did they attacked you ? To steal ?" asked Grey Wolf

"No darling, they didn't want to pay, and no pleasure without pay, that's our motto, but for you my pretties." She put her hands on the young vigilantes' shoulders who seemed very embarrassed., Fredson, to Rorschach's great relief, had backed up quickly. "I will make an exception. You wanna have sex ?

"No!" answered firmly Fredson

"N... no, thank you," stammered Grey Wolf who was blushing.

"I see, virgins. That's all right, you'll come in time."

Then she turned towards Rorschach with a wheedling smile.

"But for a man it's different, right ?"

The whore had touched him ! How dare she...

The young woman found herself on the floor in less than one minute and shouted many sexually-connoted insults to the vigilante. She picked herself up and tried to punch Rorschach, but he stopped her attack easily grasping her fist, he strengthened his grasp, making the seamstress wincing from pain. He raised his hand, ready to hit, but a hand wrapped in grey fur grasped his arm. He tried to free himself but he couldn't, the teenager was abnormally strong for his age, and abnormally fast too: he didn't see him coming.

"Let her go !"

Rorschach didn't let go even one finger around the seamstress' fist.

"Let her go," repeated Grey Wolf who tightened his grasp on the vigilante's arm.

His voice... he was feeling the same way he was in front of this Watch captain. His will getting weaker. It won't happen again ! Grey Wolf obtained nothing.

"Let her go, please," ordered the young man with a calmer voice and a contorted smile.

The vigilante began to relax his fingers, then, when the young masked hero asked again with a less contorted smile, he let go of the woman's hand, she left quickly.

Rorschach went away, growling furiously. He still didn't believe he had been fooled twice like that !

"How did you convince him ?" asked Fredson. "He never listens to me when I think he's going too far with some thugs."

"I have some talent to convince people, even I am less gifted that my father for that."

"A friendly advise: don't use this "gift" of yours again, unless there's really nothing else we can do. Better be careful, especially if you're less gifted than your old man, could not work so well next time."

·][·

The young ones were walking some steps behind him and were chatting, they seemed to get on well, pretty much like him and Nite Owl, except he almost never talked, Nite Owl talked for two anyway.

"That's amazing, this guy kicked you in the balls and you didn't even moan, nothing..."

"Oh, there's nothing special. It's because of the protective, it was to my father and it had been very useful to him when he arrived in Ankh-Morpok."

"Clever," commented the other vigilante. "But, the wolf fur is maybe not a good idea, can get stuck anywhere, caught during a fight..."

"Nice from you to care about me but I am too fast for them. Oh, and a little precision: it is not wolf fur, I would never wear it. I bought it from Dibbler who guaranteed me it was cent per cent pure Uberwarld wolf."

"Yeah, we know what cent per cent pure Uberwald wolf means with Dibbler: cent per cent pure Anh-Morpork rat !"

Anyone but Rorschach hearing this conversation would have been worried about the sausage cent per cent pure pork that street-seller had sold him, but the man had never cared about the composition of his food as long as it was not poison or that it didn't make him sick, moreover the food he ate in New York made his stomach particularly strong.

"I would like to know something. How can the stains on Rorschach' mask and yours move ? Is it magic ?"

"For Rorschach I don't know, as for mine I think yes, since I've found the sheet I used to make it near the Unseen University. Amazing all the things they can throw away these wizards, there were many stains on, they were moving and..."

"Wait. You... you took something from the University with you ? Are you mad ?"

"I hang around on the Shades at night with a mask looking for criminals instead of running away from them and ya ask me if I'm mad ? Normally, I would have never touch something made by these nut wizards but it was stronger than me, I was like... fascinated. So, I brought it with me but I still didn't know what to do with it. I had a weird dream two days after: My skin was white with the same stains than the ones on the sheet, shortly after that, I decided to make a mask out of it. That's how I found myself fighting gangs in the Shades whereas I would have done that before only if I had no other chance. Shit, you must really think I'm crazy now..."

"Not at all, making easier the Watch's job and stopping unlicensed criminals from harming is very noble on the contrary."

"Ya know how most of the people understand "noble" ?"

"No."

"By dork or moron."

The three masked heroes were about to leave each other when Grey Wolf said suddenly:

"Oh, I almost forgot ! One week per month a big light-fur dog will come instead of me. Don't worry, for you he will be harmless. See you tomorrow night !"

·][·

At some meters from here, an emaciated figure dressed in red was hiding in an alleyway from where he watched the vigilante.

"See ? He doesn't need our help. Alright, good that you were here to swallow this guy who wanted to shot him down whit an crossbow, and yes, he didn't notice him. Now we should go, if he doesn't see me there he will suspect something."

Hundreds of little step noises followed the man when he left.

·][·

_Rorschach Journal, Century of the Anchovy_

_A new costumed hero, Grey Wolf, reminds me a little of Nite Owl, a teen like Fredson. Both seem to get on well. Good._

_Fredson told to Grey Wolf how he became a costumed hero. Found a fabric looking like the one created by Manhattan near the University. Reminds me of how I got my face._

He stopped writing. Why had the boy never told him anything about it ? Probably because you didn't ask, he answered to himself. After all, he had never asked to his former colleagues why they became masks now that he was thinking about it... As for Daniel, it was useless, too obvious: his admiration for the first Nite Owl. But the others...

_Two watchmen counterparts, others to come ? Hope there will be no Manhattan or Veidt counterparts. Wait and see, all I can do for now. Fredson appeared after my arrival in this world. A link between the two events ?_

And how could he be the cause of it? Fredson looked like him in a more than weird way, but the idea he could be responsible for his apparition was absurd, he didn't even know the boy ! Same thing for Grey Wolf, who by the way looked less like his watchman counterpart than Fredson. But, everything he had seen in this world by so far was absurd, so why not... and who were the specialists about the nonsense of this flat world ? He unfortunately knew the answer: the wizards. He would have to see them if he wanted any information about it.

_Grey Wolf said once a month a dog would come instead of him. Some pet ?_

_Another thing: he used the same trick on me this Watch captain did last time. A link between these two ?_

·][·

The day after, Rorschach, after he left Rincewind's room, headed towards the Great Hall, decided to expose his hypothesis to the wizards.

The first thing he heard when he went inside was the Archchancelor shouting at the Bursar:

"See Bursar ? He still has his head on. Are you relieved now ?"

Then he noticed the bewildered vigilante standing in front of him.

"Oh Rorschach, so you do leave the library sometimes ? Good ! You should go out and visit the town you know. Not hygienic staying always inside like you do."

"Why should I be headless ?"

"Oh, that's just the Bursar. At five o'clock, I was looking for him so that he swallows his first quotidian dose of dried frog pills and I found him yelling and shaking in the corridors. After I had him swallow a handful of pills I asked him what unsettled him at such a point and he told me he had been in the library, wanted to take off your hat but that he had accidentally pull your head out ! Stupid, isn't it ?"

Fortunately it was this lunatic Bursar who had found the rag doll and that he was alone, otherwise...

"Yes. Stupid. Just wanted to say that..."

But he was interrupted by the Bursar.

"A dog with his head split open !"

"This remind me of something," said the Senior Wrangler. "Since our friend arrived here, I have looked for some information about the Fredson' test." He took a book off his robes and showed the pictures that were inside to his colleagues who gathered around him. "These are the inkblots the Bursar has seen on the mask, second Fredson the interpretation he made of these inkblots show evident social troubles and an high tendency to violence."

"This only prove that this Fredson was incompetent," stated the Dean. "Violent ? Were're talking about the Bursar ! I have always thought that saying what we have in mind with stains was completely stupid, that's just inkblots, they mean nothing !"

"Yes they did, they show what you have in your head." The Senior Wrangler showed him the stains that the Bursar had seen, the stains in question had curiously just reappeared on Rorschach's face. "What do you see ?"

"Nothing."

"Excuse me..." tried Rorschach

"Come on, at least have a try Dean !"

"Fine ! I see a butterfly, what does that mean ?"

The Senior Wrangler looked in the book.

"It means you're a big idiot and that you often have dirty thoughts."

"How dare you say that ! Give me the damn book !" boomed the Dean

He took the book and read.

"See Dean ? It's written here, I'm not inventing anything."

"A kid between two bullies !" shouted the Bursar

The pattern formed by the black stains had just changed again on the mask.

Disturbing. The Bursar was interpreting the stains that were forming on his face by giving the answers he should have given to this jail's psychiatrist if he had been frank. How... No, it could only be coincidence, weird coincidences, nothing more. The Dean and the Senior Wrangler were arguing again about the interpretation of the stains by Bloody Bastard Fredson, all the others joined the argument and of course nobody paid him any attention. So he decided to go.

·][·

The Archchancelor succeeded in separating the Dean and the Senior Wrangler after fifteen minutes.

"Stop it ! The Dean is not a polymorphous pervert and the Senior Wrangler is not a psychopath ! You're just complete idiots ! An I don't want to hear about this damn Bloody Bastard Fredson's test anymore !"

"You should ask that Rorschach to take off his damn mask then, it's because of it that all this began," said the Dean

"By the way Rorschach, didn't you want to ask us someth... Where did he go ?"

"It wasn't that important if he didn't wait, Archchancelor."

"A man and a woman who are kissing each other."

"Drop this damn book, Bursar !" roared Ridcully confiscating the damn book.

**(1) The Librarian' s plan was very easy: he had made a fake Rorschach, some kind of giant rag doll, sat in front of a pile of books, and he had made it clear that he mustn't be disturbed. Nobody had seen the difference between the real and the fake Rorschach, they were both monolithic.**

**Finished, after this last chapter I will probably not post before Christmas vacation (exams) but I've already written some chapters which just need to be corrected and completed.**

**I hope you liked it, see you !**


	6. Chapter 6: The yellow and black Phantasm

**Disclaimer: I don't own Discworld or Watchmen, they are the property of Terry Pratchett and Alan Moore. And no, I still don't get paid for this, but I keep negotiating with the Gunga Diner...**

**Sorry I've been so long to update it but I had college obligations and I was looking (and I am still looking) for ideas for the rest of the story.**

**Moreover, the scenario for the rest of the story has obliged me to revise my old chapters, like this one, a little.**

**Enjoy and tell me what you think of it by so far, it would be really appreciated !**

**Chapter 6: The yellow and black Phantasm**

Quite early in the morning, the Dean was reading the newspaper in the Great Hall **(1)**, on the front page could be read: _A new masked hero in the Shades: Grey Wolf_, he began to read the article on the masked hero, apparently he had struggled with the help of Fredson and his mysterious mentor against criminals who were assaulting a seamstress and second her Fredson's mentor's name was Rochnan or Ronald, something like that, and he wore a white mask with moving black stains.

This time it was enough, measures had to be taken against Rincewind and this nutjob, but nobody dared to disturb Rorschach, moreover he had an alibi , he was in the library every nights and the Dean himself had seen him bent over many big books, whereas Rincewind always found a way to sneak out when approached.

"Archchancelor, look at it !"

He showed him the article.

"Concerning the mask, I know you didn't believe me but now, look ! There's a name ! A name !"

"And what name, please ?"

"Second the young lady who has been rescued something like Rochnan or Ronald, personally I think it sounds a lot like Rorschach, don't you think ?"

"If I've understood well, you disturb me because a man, whose exact name isn't known according to this piece of paper, would be called like our guest. Do you remember what I told you about the mask, last time ?"

The Dean rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I remember very well. You said that if this Fredson managed to get a similar mask, then why another guy could not do so."

"And I'll answer the same thing concerning this name. Merely coincidence, nothing more."

"Quite a coincidence, admit it !"

"You really want to prove that Rorschach and Rincewind don't respect our deal with the Patrician obviously, but you seem to forget the main reason why this masked hero the _Times_ is talking about cannot be Rorschach: he's stuck in the Library most of the time ! I would rather see him out playing hero instead, personally I think it's more healthy. And even if he was teaming with these two vigilantes like you seems to think, he wouldn't break the deal: these heroes don't fight licensed assassins and thieves after all."

"Yes, but there would still be a problem if it was the case: Rincewind is not with him, the Time doesn't say an extremely coward wizard is hanging around with these two costumed freaks."

"Well, since Rorschach doesn't leave the University Rincewind doesn't have to go out. Problem solved; Here ! I've seen something moving !" he shouted, turning around suddenly, and he shot through the shrub.

The Dean wondered how the few animals which still were around the University could still be caught by Ridcully, they had to be deaf, quite a problem for the evolution of species.

"Come Dean, let's see what I caught."

Archchancellor Ridcully shot everything and everywhere when he heard a noise he thought to be of animal's origin, which caused some trouble with the servants but no mortal accident until now, the most serious accident was a pierced ear, to avoid any danger, everyone tried to go as far as possible from the Archchancellor when he was seen with his crossbow.

He noticed going past the shrub that he hadn't hit a comestible prey, except for some tribes of Howonda eventually. The bolt had reached Rorschach, more precisely his hat which were stuck in a tree because of the bolt, the faceless man was busy removing the bolt from the tree when the two wizards appeared. He had returned later than usual, he choose to take care of one last thief, which retarded him, he didn't expected to see wizards at such an hour and Ridcully was supposed to be jogging at that moment, not hunting.

"Hello Rorschach ! Glad to see you leave the Library sometimes."

« Morning Ridcully, Dean, » he replied in a voice that didn't sound at all like the one of someone who nearly got his head pierced by a projectile.

"Archchancelor," muttered the Dean. "Maybe you should ask him if he's all right , you know; and don't point that thing on me ! It's loaded !"

"Don't be a crybaby, Dean. And what's the point of asking him if he's all right ? He's not hurt, you can see it, right ?"

"It's about politeness, Archchancelor."

"Coming from you, Dean, it sounds really weird talking about politeness. By the way, don't you wanna ask to our guest how he can be in two places at the same time ? The Dean really wants to know how you can do that Rorschach... Rorschach ?"

The two wizards turned back to notice that the crusader had gone.

"Well, the fellow is definitely distant," said Ridculy shuddering

"Only distant ? Completely antisocial, yes !" yelled the Dean

"BULL'S EYE !" boomed the Archchancelor who had just shot on a duck, new comer in Ankh-Morpok absolutely unaware of the dangers of the University for the winged people. "What did you just said, Dean ?"

·][·

Rorschach got away from the two nuts while they were discussing. If someone else had done that to him, this person wouldn't be able anymore to use his fingers, if the person in question was lucky, but Ridcully was a wizard and even if he had learned that wizards were not supposed to overuse their powers, he didn't want to fight with someone who could throw fireballs at his face, the issue of the fight would be too predictable. First his trench-coat, now his hat, which has resisted many years in New York without getting torn by a bullet or anything, he wondered if his uniform would last long ere. Fortunately, it still remained thread.

·][·

At nightfall, Ridcully walked towards his room after jogging around the building thirty times. All the other wizards were sleeping at that moment, he was the only one able to see the students jumping the wall and he saw, as usual, Rorschach heading towards the Mended Cauldron. He and the students had something in common: they thought nobody saw them. Although Ridcully had noticed for many nights the vigilante's little game he didn't do anything to stop him for various reason. First, he didn't saw him as a bad lad, secondly he didn't want to give the Dean the satisfaction of acknowledging he was right and finally their guest respected the agreement since he only attacked the Shades' scums. As for Rincewind, from what he could see, he was respecting the agreement too. Everything was fine.

·][·

The three vigilantes only had the time to go through two streets in the Shades that screams broke the silence.

"Three men against one girl, cowards ! We got to help her !" said Grey Wolf in a angry voice while they were reaching the place of the aggression.

"A seamstress," precised Rorschach

She had to be a seamstress, being scantily dressed like that.

"What does it change ?" asked the young man who was about to fight, but the other teen dissuaded him from doing so:

"I don't think she needs us, pal. Look."

Indeed, the girl had just thrown on the ground two of his aggressors and was about to get it over with the last one to whom she gave a punch that made him fall on his back, he caught the girl's right leg but she had him drop it by pushing a pointed heel in his hand. He writhed in pain. She was tying them up when the vigilantes approached her. Seeing her closer, Rorschach noticed she looked a lot like Silk Specter, except her hair was pale-blond, she wore a black leotard, a transparent yellow babydoll and a black corset.

She left a yellow card with black kiss on near the "aggressors".

"Are you alright, Miss ?" asked Grey Wolf

"She's not the one with the pierced hand, lad !" said his partner

"Nice from you to ask, Grey Wolf that's it ? An you must be Fredson and Rochnan or Ronald ?" asked the girl

"Rorschach." He wondered how stupid was the woman they rescued last time, unable to remember a simple name. "You fight well, for a seamstress. You're one of the Satan Sisters ?"

"Rorschach, the Satan Sisters must be about thirty," pointed out Fredson

"I am not a seamstress, sir, but my mother is."

"You dress like her so."

She was upset.

"Not this kind of seamstress ! The kind who uses fabric, threads, scissors, you see ? But she mostly make clothes for the kind of seamstresses you referred to earlier, so it's the only suit I've been able to find."

"Not good for fight, hey ?" said Fredson. "Stiletto heels, does not protect from cold or blows..."

"Why should it protect me from blows ? The fact it doesn't cover much distract the attention of my adversary, I can fight more easily and I don't get wounded. As for the stiletto heels, as you may have seen they're sharp enough to compensate the problem you got walking with it."

Rorschach had never thought of this reason to explain the few differences between a female costumed-hero and a whore, normal, he didn't think like the scum he was fighting, especially when it comes to women.

"By the way, what is your name ?" asked Grey Wolf. "I know it would have been more polite to ask you it earlier but..."

"The yellow and black Phantasm, but you can call me the Phantasm," she was smiling and was very close to Grey Wolf saying that, too close. What was wrong with the boy ? wondered Rorschach, he clearly didn't appreciate since he was blushing and trying to move back, why hasn't he pushed her away yet ?

Suddenly, the girl fell, she picked herself up and saw a white face with tricolors stains above her.

"Fredson, why did you do that ?" asked the teen in the wolf costume who turned towards the pissed girl. "Sorry, he's not like that usually. Apologize," he muttered to his partner

"Why should I ? It's her fault, this bitch shouldn't have... HEY !"

The so-called "bitch" had just slapped him. He fought back giving her a punch.

Grey Wolf tried to end the fight, first by speaking to the opponents, but they were so busy insulting each other that they didn't hear him. So he decided to separate them physically, after he dodged a quite dangerous lost knock he turned towards Rorschach:

"Please, help me to separate them before they really get wounded ! Don't just look at them !"

Rorschach had indeed done nothing except watching the two masks fighting, mainly because he didn't disapprove of Fredson's behavior. He reacted normally towards an insult, like his partner should have, too soft, like Daniel, see if he could fix it. He finally decided to grab Fredson, while Grey Wolf was doing the same for the Phantasm, after Grey Wolf nose bled because of a punch of Fredson before they really get wounded as the Wolf-like mask stated earlier. How could they fight crime otherwise ?

They released them after they calmed down, then Grey Wolf goes between them and started talking to his comrades by using _the_ voice:

"Now, shake hands and apologize. Please."

Reluctantly, the Phantasm shook Fredson's gloved hand, the boy briefly contemplated breaking her fingers but renounced, but was still giving him a black look.

Suddenly, a cry pierced the night and the two reached the source of it, even before Rorschach or Grey Wolf.

·][·

"Did you really need to do this to these men ? I mean they surrendered..."

"Could have been a trick," answered Fredson

Grey Wolf sighed and turned towards the Phantasm:

"And was it necessary to pierce his hand with your stiletto ?"

"He was trying to get his knife back."

He was about to argue that Fredson had taken the knife from the man and that he looked more like a man begging for mercy than a threatening thug.

"Tell them something," he asked to Rorschach

The vigilante, who was about to leave, turned towards the two young ones and just said:

"You did right. See you all tomorrow."

"Wait ! They did right ! These men were not threatening the old lady anymore !"

He remembered the old lady the two thugs were threatening with a knife seemed more scared by her saviors than her aggressors, so much that he feared she would have a heart-attack.

"They deserved punishment."

"Wait, you said "see you all", you mean the Phantasm too ?" asked his younger counterpart

"Yes. Just don't fight each other again."

He had yo admit it, the Phantasm was a more than decent fighter from what he had seen this night, even if he despised her costume as much as Silk Specter's one and her attempt to seduce another mask even more.

The faceless young vigilante groaned and swore under his breath as he was leaving whereas the Phantasm was grinning, as for Grey Wolf, he just hoped they would not fight again.

·][·

And for four night they didn't, they didn't talk to each other, but this was already better than expected Grey Wolf decided not asking for too much for the moment. The problem, from his point of view, not from Rorschach's, was that they both had become very violent towards smug, even the not-so-harmful ones** (2)**, if he didn't understand such a violence, Rorschach had an hypothesis about it: they were taking out on criminals to avoid any confrontation between themselves, as long as there were enough punks to keep them busy in the streets there should be no fight like when they first met.

Unfortunately, this night no criminal, not even a little dealer. And the tension between the two was rising, without anything to punch so that it goes away.

Grey Wolf talked with his comrades to pass time.

"You should wear a mask, you know," advised Grey Wolf. "To protect your identity and so on."

"I don't need a mask. I don't often go out and believe, if you saw me as a civilian, you wouldn't think one second that I could be the Phantasm. You don't want me to hide my face entirely like Stain-face, right ? You don't want me to hide such a pretty face behind some mask, do you ?"

The second attempt of seduction on his friend since they first met her. What did that bitch believe she was supposed to do ? Dating ? That was it, he could have stand for the insult and the "Stain-face" thing, but not for that. So he fought back by yanking her hair first.

"Hey ! What's wrong with you ?"

"Sorry, just wanted to check if you at least wear a wig. OUCH !"

She pinched his cheek badly.

"Sorry, I just wanted to check if it was your true face. You must really be ugly if you hide it entirely like you do, if you looked as good as your friend you wouldn't need it."

"You, bitch... OW !"

The two teens started shouting: Rorschach had just grabbed them by their ears.

"What did I say earlier ?"

"No more fighting !" they answered in a perfectly synchronized tone

Then he released them thinking it would be a lesson, and also because he pulled too much fabric without doing it on purpose while grabbing the boy's ear, which revealed a little bit of skin at the neck, he could have unmask a fellow costumed-hero, which would have been awkward, especially coming from him.

"Save it for criminals. Understood ?"

They nodded, rubbing their painful ear,s and then they all separated without having arrested any criminal, a wasted night second Rorschach who hoped the two teens would remember it, he was also trying not to think that Fredson could feel a little more than friendship for his partner since he fought with the girl twice after she attempted to seduce him. No, he had to be wrong, just a good friend protecting his friend from depravity, that was certainly more like it, yes **(3)**.

**(1) Usually he is still sleeping like every wizards, except Ridcully, but he had an indigestion which impeached him to do so.**

**(2) "Harmless" is an adjective that doesn't apply to any criminal in the Shades.**

**(3) He really hoped his hypothesis was not true since Fredson and Grey Wolf looked a lot like him and Nite Owl, it would be too disturbing.**

**That's all for the moment, I'll try to update soon, promise.**


	7. Chapter 7: Fearful Symmetry

**Disclaimer: I really have to repeat ? Oh, it's illegal if I don't ? OK then... Discworld is the property of Terry Pratchett, Watchmen is the property of Alan Moore, and of course I don't get money for this.**

**But Fredson, Grey Wolf and the black and yellow Phantasm are mine, even if they strangely look familiar to you.**

**Sorry readers, I've just noticed I've misspelled Ankh-Morpork all along, I know it has taken me quite some time, so from this moment I will not make the mistake any more.**

**And sorry I've been so long to update it, hope you'll enjoy, and please tell me what you think about it.**

**Chapter 7: Fearful symmetry**

"Remember me ?"

A man had just popped out a street, a hateful look on his face, he faced Rorschach, the first thug they met this night, good.

"Yes."

He had broken his fingers the night he arrived on the Discworld.

"I remember you very well too, and I'm not the only one. Many others lads remember you and Stain-face, and a little of the two others. You've taken most of our pals ya know ? It was already not easy with the Watch but masked freaks, that's the last straw. Normally we don't fight together, but for you, we made an exception."

"What's going on ?" muttered Grey Wolf to his partners. "He hasn't hurt the guy yet."

They shrugged, they didn't understand too.

In fact, the only reason why the man was still unharmed was curiosity: the vigilante was not used to see a scum losing time talking to him.

"'Til now," continued the man. "You've only fought little groups of, what ? Twenty guys maybe at the most. But what will you do against, let's say, the double ? Show yourselves guys !"

The costumed-heroes soon were surrounded by the gang.

·][·

On a roof was a man with a mini crossbow fixed on his left arm, he loaded a bolt in, then aimed it at his target down there, more precisely at the back of his target. It indeed wasn't a quite elegant method but after all this Rorschach was everything but a gentleman. But he missed him and the bolt fell right at the feet of the vigilante, followed shortly after by the sniper.

·][·

A man wearing an elegant black suit of the kind you don't wear in the Shades was lying down, his face against the ground, a brick was near his head, most certainly responsible for his bump on the forehead.

Someone yelled and a red figure fell just near the man and picked himself up moaning.

"Rincewind ? What are you doing here ?"

"He was about to shot you, I threw this at his head !" the wizard answered showing the brick

"Rorschach..."

"Go away ! Too dangerous for you."

"I would like. Really," he answered shaking with fear

"RORSCHACH !" repeated the Phantasm. "Sorry to interrupt but I must remind you that we have other problems !"

The thugs, surprised by the apparition of Rincewind, were still here and armed.

·][·

"OK, show's over. Attack !" shouted their leader

"I don't feel quite good to fight..." said one man

"What !"

"Well, they have a wizard with them," added another one

"Yeah, it's unfair."

Fredson turned towards Rincewind, still against the wall, wondering why the hell he had followed that crazy masked man, and unable to do what he did the best: run away, since he was surrounded.

"Hey, wizard !"

"Me ?"

"'Course you ! Do you see another guy with a pointed hat here ?"

"With "wizzard" on it, in addition," added the costumed-heroine

"Shut up, why don't you throw fireballs at them, change them into frogs..."

"That's a witch's thing, Fredson."

"Shut up, Phantasm ! Just do something, anything !"

"I can't do magic !" gulped the wizard

Silence fell for a few minutes, the leader of thugs broke it:

"You heard that, boys ? These morons picked the only wizard who can't do magic ! Feel better now ? So charge them !"

The fight had only begun when suddenly something jumped from the roof, vigilantes and thugs saw that the thing in question was a big chest with numerous little human legs. The heroes quickly understood that this monstrosity attacked only the thugs **(1)**... and it had already... eaten. Yes, "eaten" seemed to be the appropriated word since the chest's lid raised up, showing big white teeth and a big red tongue, then it closed once the unfortunate prey inside. The fight was then suspended and the few lucky thugs who hadn't been beaten by the vigilantes or eaten by the monstrous chest yet surrendered to the heroes.

"Rincewind, what is this ?" asked Rorschach pointing a finger at the Luggage which had just passed its tongue on what could be called its "lips".

"The Luggage, probably the most aggressive suitcase on the Disc."

"It's yours ?"

"It was offered to me a long time ago, it's following me for a long time and he has never never hurt me, so I guess we can say that."

The Luggage just noticed the thugs hidden behind the vigilantes and headed towards them.

"So, he's obeying to you ?"

The question had been asked by one the thugs who surrendered, a large man who was cowering.

"Sometimes."

"Can you tell him to stop eating us ? We prefer anything, even the nutcase who breaks fingers to this, please help us !"

"Alright, I'll try."

He came towards the Luggage who was about to swallow its twentieth thug.

"Stop it, stop it immediately ! It's been into the Shades, you know how filthy it is here ? So let him go."

The Luggage hesitated a few minutes, then spat out the man, who ran away from the homicidal suitcase quickly.

While the survivors let themselves being bounded and even asked insistently to be, Rorschach and Rincewind were talking.

"You followed us all these nights ? Thought you were sleeping."

"True, I didn't follow you the first time you went out, then I did it remaining hidden. The Luggage intervened two or three times. You understand, if you're alone outside, I'll have to face the Patrician, and I really don't want that to happen."

"You've been useful earlier with the assassin."

It didn't sounded like thanks, more like a statement.

"I was behind this man and he was aiming at you, so I threw at him the first thing I found. Looked like an assassin from the Guild."

"Got to question him then."

But he only found the brick thrown by Rincewind, not the assassin

·][·

The commissioner Vimes accompanied by the captain Carrot, sergeants Angua and Detritus, corporal Nobbs and others Watchmen arrived soon after to arrest the criminals.

"So you arrested this new gang ? Good work !" congratulated captain Carrot. "But I've heard they were more numerous..."

"The walking chest ate most of them."

They all looked to the Luggage, now following Rincewind like a big threatening dog.

"Well, it will still make two gangs in jail tonight," said Vimes

"Another gang arrested, which one ?" the black and white face man asked

Rorschach had become more and more familiar with the criminal underworld of the city, especially the Shades, mostly thanks to Fredson who knew almost every gangs' names, though he refused to tell him how he knew all that, even if he still didn't know it as well as New York's criminal underworld.

"Dealers from the Red Hand caught red handed, the whole gang arrested if we include the two dealers you've let us last weak."

"Would have preferred the whole gang, you've just done faster than us."

It wasn't the first time he met the commissioner and others watchmen after he had been arrested, he saw them or when they arrested criminals, or after he and the youngsters had taken care of them, they even sometimes arrested criminals together.

The vigilante and the commissioner were not friends but they kind of respected each other, despise the man's brutality sometimes unnecessary towards criminals, Vimes saw him as efficient, and Rorschach had to admit seeing Vimes and most of the watchmen, Carrot included, even if it was harder for him to admit since he still bear him the grudge for the voice-trick, were good cops, very good cops for some. They were nothing like the cops he was used to in New-York: at the best, incompetent and weak, at the worst corrupted, even less worthy than the scum they were supposed to fight, or more interested in papers than street-job, which was clearly not the case of Samuel Vimes who hated paperwork and chased criminals as much as he could. The only exception were Colon and Nobby, both incompetent, except when they were on traffic duty and fined people, but at least they were not corrupted or acting like criminals, even if it was less sure for Nobby... Still, they remained weak for him: didn't beat criminals enough for most of them.

"Rorschach ? Hey !"

It was the Silk... rectification, he Phantasm who had just arrived behind him, he looked back and grabbed her arm: she had briefly put a finger on his shoulder.

"Don't do that again." He released her. "What do you want ?"

"You really don't like being touched, do you ?" noticed Vimes

"Looks like the only human contact he accepts is fight," said the young girl looking daggers at Rorschach. "I called you three times but you didn't react, I had to tell you somehow. I wanted to know if anyone had seen Fredson and Grey Wolf, they are missing."

They heard a tearing yell followed by "OhcrapOhcrapOhcrap..."

Watchmen **(2)**, masks, wizard and walking chest ran towards the alleyway from where the screams came.

There, they found Fredson, knelled, the head in his hands muttering over and over '"Oh crapOhcrapOhcrap...Can't believe I did it...", near him lied the man in black, with a face now covered with bruises, that Rincewind had knocked out, who was moaning, Rorschach noticed he had two broken fingers.

"I confess, I confess ! The family of the honorable De Mort and the Thieves Guild paid me to kill that man and I paid these men to distract the target

"De Mort ?" asked the Phantasm

"The assassin Rorschach almost killed when he arrived in town," explained Vimes

"Fredson, are you okay ?" asked the Phantasm putting her hand on his shoulder. She may not like his partner, he was in shock and she really had pity for him at that moment. "Why did you break his fingers ?"

"Obviously to make the assassin squeal," said Nobby

"I thought so, thank you. I just meant why interrogate him by breaking fingers."

"Don't know... Shit ! I've never done something like that... never !... was stronger than me. Before I found this guy begging me not to break another finger it was a blur, I didn't remember doing that !"

She picked up Fredson, who was calmer now, while Rorschach was about to finish what the younger mask had begun.

"Stop it," said Vimes. "There's better things to do them than breaking fingers, I can tell you."

The psychopathic vigilante, curious, asked for more and Vimes told him about what he did to assassins years ago when they were really attempting to kill him. He decided it could be worth a try since the commissioner ensured him that there was nothing more important to an assassin than honor, so humiliation was worst than anything.

"What do you propose for this one ?"

"You'll see tomorrow at the Patrician's Palace."

·][·

The vigilantes and the wizard had just left, the watchmen and their prisoner were about to do the same.

"Are you coming Angua ?"

She didn't move: she had smelt something familiar.

"Did you smell something ?"

"Maybe Carrot, maybe. We can go now."

The smell seemed familiar, but she couldn't be sure with all these parasite-smells, she would follow it next time to check if it really was what she thought.

·][·

Rincewind and Rorschach, followed by the Luggage, headed towards the Unseen University, Fredson and the Phantasm had gone back home and Grey Wolf didn't reappeared, which was worrying.

"They look like these people from the Roundworld you've talked about in a really odd way ? Did you talk about it to Ridcully and the others ?"

"Have tried, they didn't listen. Will try again."

The situation was getting disturbing, weirder, especially concerning Fredson: the kid has used his interrogation method but wasn't conscious of his actions, how can these kids look so much like him and his former colleagues ? And why the one looking like him seemed to be the more affected ? He had to see these crazy wizards again, he needed answers. If they listened maybe he could get some...

·][·

The day after, Rorschach, determined to have a conversation with the wizards, headed towards the place the wizards were taking their tea at five o'clock.

"Archchancelor ?"

Well, well, Rorschach was talking to them ? Usually the man was doing his best to avoid them, what could he want from them ?

"What can I do for you, Rorschach ? Tea ?"

"No."

He sat, lifted up his mask until the nose and grabbed the sugar bowl, he was obviously not interested in tea.

"Remember when I talk about my colleagues ?"

"The Roundworld's watchmen who are not exactly like our watchmen ?" asked Stibbons

The Dean and the Senior Wrangler wondered what the heck they were talking about, which could be understood since the only ones around this table who were aware of Rorschach's past were Ridcully and Stibbons, as for the Bursar, he didn't bother himself with such considerations, his attention was entirely focused on the sugar bowl hold by Rorschach.

"Yes we remember it, why ? Release the Bursar's wrist, will you ? Bursar, I've already told you not to touch sugar, it's not good for you !" boomed Ridcully

"The young heroes, they strangely look like them. Look like me, Nite Owl and Silk Specter. Fredson is even starting to act like me."

"Well, not amazing. The kid clearly sees you as a role-model looking at his suit," stated the Archchancelor

"The problem is that he's not aware of it. Broke a man's fingers yesterday but didn't realized he did it, was in shock."

"Does the others act like your friends ?" asked Stibbons, his curiosity excited, contrary to the Dean worried about the existence of a second psychopathic mask

"Not really."

"I have a theory about that. These young heroes appeared right after you arrived in our world, isn't it ? In addition, there is a striking resemblance between you an the first of them. Everything tends to make me think that you're the cause of it, you must have modified the fabric of reality on the Disc when you were teleported here and it leads some young men to act like you and your former colleagues."

"How the hell did this Fredson get a mask like yours ?" asked the Dean

"Found it near the University."

The wizards looked as shocked as Grey Wolf when he heard it.

"Could you ask him to bring me his mask ?" asked Stibbon

"No !" answered sharply the vigilante

"But it's just to check a new theory I've just thought about to explain this strange parallelism between the two worlds. Maybe objects reminding you and your friends could be some kind of vectors and make them progressively become and more like you..." tried Stibbon

Ridcully, feeling the situation was getting ugly, decided to distract Rorschach's attention with another question:

"There were three other members in your group, right ? The assassinated guy you inquired on his death, the megalomaniac who destroyed millions to save billions and the big blue guy who tried to kill you, I forgot no one ? Their counterparts have not appeared yet ?"

"The Comedian, Ozymandias and Manhattan. Not yet. Hope the last ones' counterparts will not show up."

"Understandable," answered the wizard as he finished his tea. "Well, that's strange indeed, if you learn further about it, don't hesitate to ask again."

·][·

Rorschach and Rincewind met up the commissioner Vimes to the Pseudopolis Yard, it had been the first time since a long time that he was in Ankh-Morpok in daylight. They headed towards the old winter palace of the Ankh-Morpok kings, now the Patrician's palace, they didn't notice the red-headed boy holding a sign"Harga's pork-chops, you can't resist it !" watching them.

Near the palace, there was the gagged assassin painted in white and black and tied to the statue of Old-Stone-Face.

"Not bad," commented Rorschach

"Glad you like it."

He untied the assassin and entered followed by the others.

·][·

"My lord ?"

"Yes, Drumknott ?"

"The commissioner Vimes, the wizard Rincewind and the vigilante Rorschach have made an appointment, the honorable Lord Downey and Mr Boggis too."

"Very well, introduce them."

The five men and the assassin entered together into the Oblong Office.

"What can I do for you ?" asked Vetinari

Rorschach grabbed the painted assassin by the collar and throw him on the bureau, making Drumknott, who had spent hours classifying everything, twitch, whereas Vetinari remained, as usual, imperturbable.

"An assassin. Member of the guild. Tried to kill me. Paid by the Thieves' Guild and the De Mort family. Deal not respected."

Lord Downey remained perfectly calm, contrary to Mr Boggis, boiling with indignation.

"How this filthy little bastard dare..."

"Any problem Mr Boggis ? You can leave by this door if you think there's slander."

"No, there's nothing, My lord."

When Lord Vetinari proposed you a particular door to leave it meant most of the time that there was nothing good behind it.

Then Vetinari turned towards Rorschach.

"I see. This a subject of important matter indeed. What do you expect from me ?"

"Retribution."

"Agreed."

"My lord ?"

It was Lord Downey, who hadn't said a word until now.

"Yes, lord Downey ?"

"I would like to apologizes to sir Rorschach and ensure him that the Guild has never accepted any contract on his head. Mr Maynard must have acted without our consent and I can ensure you that Mr De Mort has too much honor to broke a commitment taken by the Guild, only his family must have desired revenge, a regrettable but understandable reaction. That is how everything happened, isn't it Mr Maynard ?"

"Liar" was the first word that came in mind to Vimes, Rorschach and Rincewind listening to Lord Downey.

The unfortunate assassin just said:

"Yes... yes, exactly."

"And I suggest as an apology to put Mr Rorschach's name into the register of the clients unwanted by the Guild, if your Lordship allows me to do so, of course."

"Add the other masks. Civil identities included."

"As you wish. In addition, I propose to punish Mr Maynard second the ways of the Guild.

"Why would I refuse ? After all, he law allows the guilds to punish their members in their own ways if they want."

Now Maynard looked really terrified whereas two guards grabbed him to take him away from the Oblong Office followed by Lord Downey, he was crying and begging for mercy.

"No ! No ! Have mercy, I'll surrender to the Watch or even that psychopath ! Anything but that !"

"Please Maynard," said Lord Downey interrupting him "Try to keep the little dignity you still have"

"No way this bloody assassin gets a preferential treatment ! I don't see why he wouldn't go with the common prisoners !" protested Vimes

"Commissioner, they have the law on their side, and you represent the law, remember", stated calmly Vetinari

Vimas was about to argue but Rorschach, showing himself quicker, spoke the first.

"Want the Watch to take care of it."

"But sir, I can ensure you the Guild will take care of him."

"I said the Watch, not you."

"Anyway, I don't understand why I lose my time talking with you since I have the law on my side."

"Sorry to contradict you but according to the law, the victim has the right to chose the punishment he thinks appropriate for the culprit, and this right overcome the privileges of the guilds. But maybe you would like to check what I've just said ?"

"No, of course no your Lordship," answered the Assassin's Guild head. He was perfectly aware that questioning Vetinari was a suicidal attitude. "After all, if you want to burden yourself with him, Vimes..."

Before leaving the Oblong Office, he motioned to the guards to release Maynard, who threw himself at Rorschach's feet, forgetting in his happiness the psychopath the man was.

"Tankyou ! Thankyou ! Thankyou ! Thankyou !..."

"Hey, don't forget you're going in jail !" said Vimes forcing him to pick up, not only because he was embarrassed by this behavior, but mostly to avoid that Rorschach, who had dangerously flinched when the assassin threw himself at his feet, bash him even more. In fact, this reaction resulted more of astonishment than anger: it was the very first time a criminal thanked him.

Boggis turned suddenly towards the faceless vigilante and said:

"Listen, as an apologize, the Thieves' Guild offers you the sum given to this incompetent assassin."

He held him reluctantly a quite big bundle of banknotes.

"Now we're quits. What are you waiting for ?"

Indeed, contrary to what he expected, Rorschach didn't pounce on the banknotes and was still looking at him, or more exactly creepy moving stains were looking at him.

"What's the matter ? You want more ? That's it ?"

"No, black money. Don't want it.'

"Correction, it has been acquired legally," said Boggis taking back the billets hastily. "You don't own anything valuable, do you ?" he asked before before leaving the Oblong office.? "Never mind, stupid question anyway just by looking at you."

"Well the case is settled. Don't let me detain you."

After these words of the Patrician, the three men left the office.

·][·

Once out of the palace Vimes asked:

"Why didn't you let the assassins take care of him ?"

"Criminals shouldn't rule the roost. And you seem... trustworthy," admitted Rorschach. "Honest, not like cops from where I come."

"Good you didn't see the Watch as it was before then," said Vimes. "You does good work with the kids, too violent sometimes, but good."

·][·

The commissioner Vimes came back home, welcomed by his wife, Sybil.

"Hello Dear, have you had a good day ?"

"Yes dear. Where is Sam ?"

"With the hatchlings, you know, Daisy's ones. He's been taking care of them since the poor darling exploded."

Samuel Vimes Jr, who was at seventeen years old and a half the spitting image of Samuel Vimes Sr, more commonly referred as Sam or Sammy, had inherited, to his father great annoyance, the passion of his mother for these little flying bangers swamp dragons are.

"Could you go upstairs and tell him the dinner is ready ?"

"Yes, darling."

Sybil could have send Willikins do it, but for everything concerning their son, even if her husband hadn't said it properly, she knew he wanted to share time with his son as often as possible since, because of his work, he couldn't see him much.

When Samuel opened the door of his son's room, he found the young man putting out a little fire with his foot and was yelling at a tiny hatchling with big sad eye whereas two others were clinging to his left arm.

"Bloody dragon ! Bad Timmy ! No coil for you tonight. Hi dad !"

"Hi son, leave your beasts, dinner is ready."

Sybil Ramkin wasn't a gook cook but her husband and her son were not good eaters, which helped, Sybil burned everything, which led her son to think that it was a perfect food for the dragons.

"Sam, I've already told you I don't want to see these things on the table , even less that your give them your own food."

"Dad, Pepper and Ted need to regain some strength, besides they are much less stressed when I'm around, so there's little rick they could explode. You should be happy of it, shouldn't you ?"

His father didn't answer back and just masticated his carbonized steak.

"Oh, and I tried a new combination on Phoenix and the results are better than last time. Can I show you ?"

"No."

"Why ?"

Vimes just pointed the window, from where could be seen a pretty impressive crater in the garden, result from the last Sam's tests.

"Sam, I've already told you what I thought about your idea of transforming the dragons into weapons."

This stupid idea had taken birth one years ago in their son's head who was searching the suitable food to give the dragon so that they give a good flame without explosion, and tried different combinations to create this special food or "D-food", which stood for "Dragon food", as he called it, which was seen as a good thing at the beginning by both his parents, even if it wasn't for the same reasons **(3)**, but they didn't see this experiments that way for a long time: Sam's experiments had until now led to many craters in the garden, the explosion of the dragons' room, numerous explosions in the neighborhood and some burn marks, thankfully not important, on Sam himself.

"But the Watch could use it."

"Sam, the Watch is doing just fine that way, we don't need walking bombs, thank you very much ! And don't start talking about your other idea please, plus we already have an Airbone section **(4)**."

The other idea of Sam involving the dragons and the Watch was to fix a dragon on an agent's back so that he could be driven into the air by the flame the dragon will throw on the floor, thus they could watch the town from the sky. The last experiment ended for Sam Jr to burn marks on the bottom.

"I would like to help the Watch by joining but since some idiots had the wonderful idea to fix the age to join the City Watch to eighteen for humans it's the only way I can help for the moment..."

"Son, I don't consider that as a bad idea at all."

He looked at his mother: he knew she was for something in the Patrician's decision to raise the age to join the watch some years ago, but when he pointed that out, she said it was just a mere coincidence that the law passed just when he asked insistently to join the watch when he was fifteen, especially after he tried to get some weapons during a riot to help the watch, he was impeached to do so by Carrot.

"Well, dad and Carrot were only sixteen when they joined."

"That was many years ago, others days, others ways, Sam."

Sam looked at his father, expecting him to say something, Sam Sr made a quite expressive answer with his shoulders which meant: I would like to help, really, but it's useless, I have authority to catch thieves, except the licensed ones, and so on but I have no authority on your mother for that, get used to it !

"I'm taking care of the dragons mum, 'evening !"

Samuel Vimes Jr left the table and went into the local of the dragons, now deserted by the interchangeable Emmas, he slipped on his yellow leather-suit before going inside, then he fed the hungry dragons. After ensuring himself that nobody was here, he took out of his suit a little bag and gave the content to one of the dragons.

"Come Phoenix, time to eat. That's it big boy, easy."

Once the digestion achieved, he delicately took the dragon in his arms, the little creature extended as long as he could his neck as his master was scratching him under the chin, then Sam kept the swamp-dragon's head in his right hand while he kept his other hand on the reptile's belly. He pointed Phoenix at a dried potted plant ten meters away, then he scratched the little dragon so that he could throw flames as his mother showed him (it avoided them from exploding), an impressive and almost blue flame, looking more like laser beams of Roundworld's science-fiction movies than usual dragon's fire, the plant turned to ashes in one second and the pot became dust.

He did it: he created a flame that didn't destroyed the dragon's room, like the last time, after succeeding with a more moderate dose of the "special biscuits" he gave earlier to Phoenix, not to self: go and get others "biscuits", to create a flame that didn't transformed humans into ashes or disfigured burn-victims, no just that hurt them enough to stop them, he thought it could let indelible marks only if we kept burning them (**5**). When he'll tell his father about it... Then he got an idea, before showing him how useful the dragons could be for the Watch he should make some practical, and the _Times_' headlines about masked heroes gave him an idea.

He then decided to light one of the cigars he stole from his father, he could since he had no fire to put out this time, there were flames just before the plant turned to ashes, they vanished at this moment: such a success was something to celebrate.

·][·

After Vimes, Rorschach and Rincewind left the palace, Oliver entered into Mrs Brandon's shop, he came to take the clothes for Missis Palms.

But Mrs Brandon wasn't keeping the shop today.

"Hello Chast', your mother is here ? Still reading that things Corpsy ?"

Chastity Brandon **(6)**, who was sat behind the counter, continued reading without paying any attention to the young man. She looked second Oliver like a widow-before-the-time with her strict black dress and the absence of smile on her face, the only clear color element on the young girl were her almost white hair which formed two plaits.

She closed her book, not a novel but a book about anatomy full of pictures that would make anyone sick, she read nothing except this kind of books, the delivery-boy nicknamed her "Corpsy" because of the dissected bodies pictures in the book. She rose up and, without looking at Oliver, who thought her glasses were useless since she didn't seem to see him, showed him a pile of clothes.

"The clothes are here."

She paid him, turned back to her book, that was all.

"Thanks and see you Miss !"

"Bitch" he thought to himself before closing the door.

·][·

In the boutique, Mrs Brandon and her daughter were dining, the silence reigned at the table. Chastity wasn't talkative, at such a point that many could think she's mute, her mother didn't see the point of asking her what she did this day, it was obvious: she was doing nothing but reading, she never left the shop, had no friends and no boyfriend, which was not amazing: she didn't make herself pretty with her mourning dresses and on top of it she never smiled. Mrs Brandon knew that many of her friends envied her for having such a daughter but she didn't consider herself lucky. She would have preferred a lot that she would be more like the daughters of her friends, always hanging around with boys.

"I'm going to bed, mother. Good night."

"Good night my daughter."

That was the only words they said this evening.

Once in her room, after checked if her mother were asleep, Chastity took off her round glasses and undid her plaits, then she wore off her dress but not to replace it by an old-lady-nightdress: she was indeed scantily dressed with a black and yellow suit. Once the metamorphose accomplished, the former widow-before-the-time opened the window and rejoined his partners** (7)**, all men.

·][·

"Article 304 ?"

"All citizen of Ankh-Morpork has the right to ensure his defense if attacked, the right not to be dead, not to be robbed, dismembered, pulverized, transformed into a clam or anything else, the right to..."

"A citizen has not only rights, he also has duties, among them the duty of sleeping. Time to go to bed, Elsa !"

The little red-head was struggling in her mother's arms.

"Mum ! Just a little more ! I don't wanna go to bed !"

"Elsa, it is pretty late. Look at Gavin, he's much older than you and he is already sleeping."

"Dad !" begged the child

"Obey to your mother Elsa, we will finish it tomorrow."

"Yes dad."

Angua joined her husband after her daughter fell asleep.

"Frankly, don't you think that you should read to her something more suitable for her age, Carrot ?"

"But she really like it, besides I've heard that all they learn at this age they remember it for life. It's never too early to begin the instruction of a future Watchman."

"What tells you she will work in the Watch ?"

"She told me, Gavin did too."

The worst, Angua thought, was that he was right: both children were as enthusiastic as their father, Gavin seemed to know the law even better than she did.

"Speaking of Gavin, we should check if he's sleeping."

"But you said earlier..."

"Just to convince our daughter to sleep, Carrot."

They opened the door of their son's room, he was asleep, so they decided to leave.

Gavin, once sure that his parents and his sister were sleeping, rose up, took a piece of paper on which he quickly wrote a few words, he rolled it and attached it around his neck with a thread, then he left through the window without making any noise. He had hidden his suit in an alleyway two blocks away from his house, he changed regularly the hiding-place, in addition he covered the costume of pepper time to time so that his mother doesn't smell him, but a very little quantity so that it doesn't affect him too much. But this night, he wouldn't need his costume: he came out naked.

**(1) Which didn't keep them from warily stay away from this thing.**

**(2) The ones from Discworld, not Roundworld, there's only one from Roundworld here.**

**(3) They both thought it was good that the dragon didn't explode like they did most of the time when they throw fire, Sybil because the poor little darlings would be safer, and Vimes because he didn't like to see big red puddles everywhere.**

**(4) Which means the gnome watchman Buggy Swires and his buzzard.**

**(5) And now, you must be wondering: how the hell can he tell that ? Don't worry, the Commissioner's son isn't a monster, he didn't use human guinea-pigs to see that, he tried it first on dummies, then on himself once the dummies didn't end up like the dried plant earlier. It just hurt him so much he had to release the dragon but he didn't get any burn marks and the pain vanished quickly**

**(6) N****amed "Chastity" by a mother who apparently loves her and called "Chast'" by the delivery-boy she found so annoying, but she preferred it to "Corpsy", his second favorite stupid nickname.**

**(7) Not this kind of partners, right ?**


	8. Chapter 8: Werewolf

**Disclaimer: I don't own Disworld and Watchmen, Terry Pratchett and Alan Moore created them, and I don't get paid on it. Sorry to repeat it, but it's the law.**

**Chapter 8 : Werewolf**

All the masked heroes, and Rincewind not followed by his homicidal trunk, at least apparently, were present at the meeting point, except one.

"I say we should go, at such an hour he won't come," said the young girl

"We wait," retorted the other young vigilante

"Alright, just to hear his explanation. I wonder how he will justify himself for leaving without saying a word."

"Stop it ! That's not as if he had left us in the middle of a fight !"

"But we lost time looking for him !"

"We're going," said Rorschach, who was tired of hearing the accusation and the defense battle.

"But Grey..." protested Fredson

"We're not waiting any longer."

·][·

"What a beautiful dog," said the Phantasm

"What ? The little grey one ?" asked Fredson

"This horror ? I'm talking of the big white one."

"That's why I'm asking you: the big one isn't a mutt, it's a wolf."

"Nonsense, there's not been any wolf in town since the Great Winter during the Century of the Porpoise !"

"Anyway, the team is complete now."

"What do you mean ?" asked Rorschach. "Grey Wolf is still missing."

Fredson sighed.

« You don't remember what Grey Wolf said about a dog which would come when full moon ?"

"It's his dog ?"

"No ! This dog... this wolf is Grey Wolf, he's a werewolf !"

"Not stupid the biped," said an unknown voice

"Who said that ?" asked Fredson

"Can werewolves speak when wolves ?" asked Rorschach

A werewolf now, with someone wearing a wolf-like suit and called himself "Grey Wolf" he should have guessed earlier, what about Fredson, was he another being considered unreal in his world under that mask ?

"I don't know," said the Phantasm. "This didn't sound like Grey Wolf, but maybe it had been modified during the metamorphosis."

"Looks like there's a paper around his neck," pointed out Rincewind

Rorschach grabbed the paper, the others gathered around him to read it:

_That's me, Grey Wolf, I'm a werewolf, I had already told it to Rorshar and Fredson the first time we met, I know, I spoke of a "big dog", but it was not that far and the suit and name should have put you on the way, admit it. I didn't told you that clearly because many people are still afraid of werewolves. I will be like this each night of full moon. Under this form, I can't talk but I still understand you. Sorry for the other day, the werewolf of the Watch was here and I was afraid to be identified."_

"You misspelled my name," said Rorschach

"So it was because of the werewolf of the Watch," said the Phantasm

"They got a werewolf too ?" said Rorschach

"Yes, some believes it's corporal Nobbs, but I don't think so," said Fredson

"What makes you so sure of it ?" asked the black and yellow heroin

"He's dark-haired and the fur of the Watch's werewolf is almost white, which makes me think he must be blond. Now that I think of it he looks like you... Anyone you know ?"

The werewolf didn't react.

"Oh, yeah, you can't say anything."

"I agree, if Nobby Nobbs was a werewolf he would look more like this awful little dog."

"Bitch !"

Furious, the Phantasm looked at his colleague:

"What did you just say, Fredson ?"

"What ? I said nothing !"

"Liar ! Who told that so ? Rincewind ? Rorschach ? The dog while we're at it... By the way, where is Rorschach ?"

"He saw a burglar breaking into a house and followed him," answered the wizard. "If I were you, I think I would stop fighting: he's said something like: "won't be that patient if they get on my nerves again" before he left."

"You didn't notice something ?" asked Fredson to the Phantasm, not paying any attention to Rincewind. "It was the voice we heard earlier. And that couldn't be Grey Wolf since he can't talk."

"And he's polite contrary to some people !"

"You... Er, I'm sorry, happy ?" said reluctantly the young man

The Phantasm understood immediately why her colleague gave up that easily: she turned back and saw Rorschach.

"So... did you catch this burglar ?

"Not thanks to you."

The teens both gulped but instead of tweaking their ears like the last time, the mask said nothing more and they just kept walking.

·][·

"Glad to see you can show yourself mature sometimes," said the Phantasm to Fredson

"Hurm ?"

Now he was groaning like the other ! As if one wasn't enough...

"I mean when you apologized earlier. I know it's mainly because of Rorschach, but it's an improvement nonetheless."

"For the last time: I said nothing."

"So much about maturity, you little..."

She didn't finish her sentence: Grey Wolf, who was right between them, had just grunted.

"Okay, I'll believe you just this time. Easy, we've made peace Fredson and I."

"Hey, quit it ! It's not a dog !"

"I think he likes it, Fredson."

The young girl was scratching the werewolf behind the ears, and he seemed to enjoy it.

"If you could be just a little more supportive it would be great, you know ?" grumbled the mask

·][·

Dawn was close and they hadn't met any criminal since the robber, they were about to stop crime-fighting when Grey Wolf suddenly stopped.

"Grey Wolf ?"

"What is he doing ?"

"I don't know. Looks like he's sniffed something."

Suddenly, the hairs on Grey Wolf's back stood on end, his ears went back and bared his shiny fangs as he growled.

He ran and disappeared in a very narrow alleyway, so fast his comrades couldn't follow him easily.

They heard as they ran after him a sound of broken glass, and man's screaming out something like "What the fuck... get off me fucking dog, get off... Nooooo !"

They reached the house with a broken window, Rorschach opened the door with a kick: behind the door was the blood covered young werewolf, blood forming a very big stain around the fat man on top of whom was the wolf, he said, spiting blood, in a weakened voice:

"Y... your dog ?... get it of... pl..."

The last words couldn't be heard because of all the blood that ran out of his mouth.

The Phantasm leaned against a wall to vomit.

Rorschach knelled near Grey Wolf to take him away from the man, but the wolf turned back quickly, barking threateningly, and would have bit him if he hadn't backed up.

And he complained the boy was too soft...

Rincewind, who was very scared now: one of the masks was a werewolf and he was repeating over and over in his head "someone's been killed, someone's been killed... I knew it would happen one day or another... I knew it" in his head, opened accidentally an half-opened door as he stepped back, he looked back and stepped back in the opposite direction: he thought it couldn't get worst but he had just realized he was wrong.

"R... Rorschach ?" stammered the wizard

"What ?"

He just pointed the door, he looked more scared than usual: what could have caused such a reaction ? Had Grey Wolf made another bloody mess ?

Followed by Fredson and the werewolf, the vigilante opened the door completely, revealing a gloomy room with a sinister collection of various sharp objects covered in dried blood, and the most horrible detail to complete the picture: a little girl on a filthy table, tied up and gagged, motionless. The scene was awfully familiar to him, even the child looked like this Blaire Roche he hadn't been able to save, suddenly they heard a sob, and a second, and the kid opened big frightened eyes : she was alive, he wasn't too late this time, correction: Grey Wolf wasn't too late.

He proceeded to untie the little girl and take the gag off her, but she was screaming out and struggling as he was trying to take her off the table.

"Listen, I won't harm you; so stop..."

She stepped back again.

It would have been easier if she had been an adult, or at least a teen, he knew how to handle them, but with kids he was completely clueless: he wasn't used to them. Plus, he understood her reaction in a way, he knew he looked, except for the height, frightening, it was the whole idea of the uniform, and the voice didn't help too.

The phantasm came closer to the little girl and said in a soft voice, her arms wide opened:

"Shh... Easy, little one, easy. You're safe now, I promise, come. Don't be afraid."

The kid hesitated, then came slowly into the heroine's arms, still shaking and sobbing, silently though.

She was good with children, thought Rorschach. Good thing to remember if we have another case involving kids, living ones at least.

"Take the kid to the Watch."

"Okay, I'll ask they send you some agents."

Then she left the house with the little girl, hiding her eyes as she crossed the room covered in blood: no need to traumatize this child even more.

Grey Wolf had entered into the gloomy room sniffing the air, he stopped on a trap door conducting to a cellar that he sniffed with more attention, he moaned, and stepped back, looking... horrified. What was in the cellar ? Rorschach decided he would see that later, first, take care of the scumbag, if he he wasn't dead yet of course since what the werewolf did to him: funny now that he thought about it: this time time, the dog was on the good side.

He heard behind him the noise of metal rattling followed by steps-noises, he turned back to see Fredson staring at the fat man loosing more and more blood, still laying on the floor, his right hand was crisped on a chopper he had taken from the butcher's collection, he reminded him of himself on this particular night in 1975: he raised the chopper, but instead of touching the man, the chopper thrown by the teen sank into the floor just two inches away from the man's head.

"You missed him ? Strange, was too close to miss him."

"Missed ?... Er, I wasn't aiming at him."

"What ?"

He remained silent for some minutes before answering:

"I... was just checking if he was still alive. He didn't reacted when I throw the chopper. See."

Liar, well maybe not a liar: he actually sounded surprised, maybe a part of him wanted to kill the man but didn't had the time since the wounds caused by Grey Wolf did it instead, funny, it reminded him of the blur the boy talked about when he beat up the assassin. Had the young man personality disorders ? As for the man, no need to check, he was obviously dead: he had lost way too much blood and he had seen enough corpses in New-York, he was even responsible for some of them, so he could say just by looking if dead or not.

"Grey Wolf ? What..."

Grey Wolf was changing back as the sun was rising and the transitions between wolf and man were rather disturbing to see, the werewolf, whose metamorphosis was still not finished rushed towards the exit: he looked like a humanoid creature with blond fur, Fredson followed him and Rorschach was about to do the same when suddenly he heard his name:

"Rorschach !"

It was the Phantasm coming back with...

"Nobby Nobbs ? You've really found no one else ? And what is the girl still doing here ?" yelled Rorschach at her when he saw the kid in her arms.

"Nice to see you too, Rorschach !" said Nobby

"The first watchmen I've met are him and sergeant Colon, who's gone to Pseudopolis Yard tell the others, they'll come soon. As for the kid, her name is Jenny by the way, I wanted to give her to the sergeant but she just refused to get off me. What was that hairy thing Fredson was running after ?"

"Grey Wolf re-transforming. He's the one who found the girl," precised the vigilante to Nobby

"You got a werewolf too ? The young lady told me you arrested the bastard who touched her, where is he ?"

Crap, he hadn't expected the corporal, known to be the kind of cop who fled the criminal cases, to be interested in that detail, maybe he reacted differently because a kid was involved ? He didn't know if he should tell them what the young hero did to that monster, they could react like they did in New York towards heroes and... Well, he'll find a solution, he had to, he couldn't let the heroes end up like in his home-world.

The corporal walked toward the door, Rorschach blocked his way:

"No one gets in."

"Why ?"

"Just don't do it."

Nobby shrugged and walked away to light up one of his disgusting cigarettes, he was sensible and knew it would be suicide to insist with that masked nutcase. As for Rorschach, he was relieved that the cop renounced that easily, it let him more time to think about a plan...

"Why don't you want Nobby to get in ? There's nothing to steal in after all," asked Rincewind

"Rincewind, you really don't know where your legged-trunk is ? It would be useful now."

"In what way ?" lied Rincewind who had a little idea of what the messed up vigilante was thinking and sincerely hoped the mask would take it as "in what way ?" meaning "I know what you mean and I don't want to hear it, thank you very much."

"It could eat him."

No, he didn't get it, the wizard thought.

"Why ?"

"The kid killed him. He will be in trouble if they find out."

"Good morning sir !" said an unknown voice

It was a man with red sideburns and mustache, wearing a top-hat and a green frock coat, he had a notebook in the hand.

"Well, well, well, Rorschach himself, the lovely Phantasm and, what are you ?" he asked looking at Nobby, the man who accompanied the new-comer, a very pale man dressed entirely in black and carrying a quite cumbersome photographic camera like those of Roundworld's Nineteenth century and a box containing a big lizard, muttered him something. "He's human ? You're sure ? And, he has a document signed by his Lordship to prove it ?"

"Here it is if you wanna look at it," said the apparently human agent handing the man a piece of paper while the heroes bent a little to read over his shoulder.

"Who are you ?" asked Rorschach sharply

"I didn't introduce myself ? How impolite from me, I am sorry ! Morpork, Albert Morpork, reporter for the _Times_, here's my colleague, the iconographer, Otto Chriek."

Journalists now ! Great, just great. **(1)**, in addition the man looked familiar to him...

"How did you find us ?"

"Oh, it was quite a piece of luck , I saw the Phantasm running with this kid and I followed her. And I find almost all the masked heroes, where are Fredson and Grey Wolf by the way ?"

·][·

"Grey Wolf ? Are you human now ?"

"Yes," answered his friend, still hiding in a dark alleyway and cleaning away the blood on his arms the best he could, wondering worriedly how could he have so much blood on his hands. "Stay where you are !"

"Why ? You think you're still dangerous ?"

"No, I'm naked."

"Oh. I would have given to you my coat if it wasn't that little."

"Don't worry, I'm used to this kind of situation. Just wait a minute and I'll come out."

Finally, Grey Wolf emerged from the alleyway and his partner burst into laughter.

"There's nothing funny."

Well, It was true, there was nothing funny about a teenager wearing an old dirty blanket with a hole for the head as a poncho and a paper-bag with holes for the eyes on the head, absolutely nothing funny.

"I got to improvise with what I can get to be decent. Well I have another suit hidden some streets away. Stop laughing please !"

·][·

"So what happened here ? You saved this little girl, that's it ?" asked Albert Morpork who was ready to write

"In fact, Grey Wolf saved her, she was detained into this home and he arrived before us," answered the Phantasm

"Where are the kidnappers by the way and how many were there ?"

"There was only one man," she just said

"Can I see him ?"

"No, the Watch will be the first to see him," said Rorschach

"I see. Fine, I'll wait."

He gained a little time, better than nothing, at least they still knew nothing about the corpse.

"I fmell blood, lot of blood, from one big man..."

They all turned towards the man who had just spoken: it was the iconographer, an unnaturally pale man dressed in black who held a machine looking like the first photo-cameras of Roundworld and a box containing a big lizard.

"... juft behind thif door..." he added as he was heading towards the door

"Don't..."

Too late, the pale man had opened the door, Rorschach hadn't been able to stop him: he had been quicker than expected, and everyone could see the body.

"It's only cause of that you didn't want me to get in ?" asked Nobby who didn't seem shocked at all. "Hi kids !"

Fredson and Grey Wolf had come back and the werewolf's face lower-part was paler than usual when he saw the corpse.

"I... I can't believe I did that..."

"What did you say young man ?" asked the journalist. "You did this ?"

"So it... means I also...," he said that looking at Rorschach, now vaguely remembering he had almost bit him.

"Shut up !" ordered Rorschach. "He didn't do it, it's just the shock."

"Then who did that butcher's work ?"

"I did."

"Rorschach, you don't have to... Ow !"

"Shut up, idiot !" muttered the vigilante after elbowing him. "Told you so already."

"Then why are you so clean ? Shouldn't you be covered with blood after such a mess ?"

Crap, the blood, he had completely forgotten about it, how could he justify it ? Find something, quickly !

"Looks like a beast did it," commented Morpork. Then he remained silent one minute, realizing something, and turned towards Grey Wolf: "You're the one who saved the kid, your name is Grey Wolf... of course... you are a werewolf, aren't you ?"

Crap ! Why the journalist had to be smarter than his colleagues usually are ? Too late to put things right now...

"It..., it's true, and I'm the only responsible for this, the others did nothing. He was about to kill her and I think he killed others..."

"Others ? How do you know that ?" asked the elder vigilante

"I smelled blood and bodies in decomposition under the trapdoor leading to the cellar. Rorschach , what are you doing ?"

"Stay away, !" he ordered to the young man. "All of you."

The mask reached the torture room, the others heard something had been opened, he came back a few minutes after, breathing louder, furious.

"You were right, she wasn't the first. Little corpses."

"How many ?"

"Too many."

"I found a name for my article: _The Ogre of the Shades slaughtered by Grey Wolf_."

"Yes, but I didn't meant to kill him... I guess I'll have to leave the group after that."

"No way !" exclaimed the two other young heroes almost at the same time

Crap, thought Rorschach to himself, just what he feared. Masked-heroes were accepted in this town, even by the cops, and now it's going to be like in his world, treated like common criminals for killing a monster. The things were too good to last long maybe...

"Why ?" asked the journalist, sounding surprised. "He was about to kill the little one, right ? And he killed others from what I've understood. The man would have been hung anyway. And I don't think the people will mind that much if they learn you're a werewolf since you saved a kid, plus it would be good for your image to have some specist diversity in the group. By the way, are two humans ?" he asked looking at Rorschach and Fredson. "I ask that cause of your masks."

They didn't answer.

"You said he won't be reproached that ?" asked an astounded Rorschach as his jaw dropped under his mask. "He won't be called a monster or anything ?"

"No, the only one that will be called monster is the dead guy."

Amazing, maybe the Discworld wasn't so bad if they didn't condemned a hero for killing someone who deserved it.

"At leaft, an occathion to take a picture of the mafked-heroes," said Otto enthusiastically. "And who are you in the team ? You don't look like a hero," he asked to Rincewind, disappointed to see that he hadn't passed as unnoticed as he hoped.

"No."

"Why are you with them then ?" asked the journalist

They didn't asked if it was for his powers, everyone in Ankh-Morpork knew that there was a wizard in the University that was only technically a wizard: he had the hat with "wizzard" on but couldn't do any magic.

"Let's say I'm obliged to be there."

He decided to quit questioning Rincewind, judging him uninteresting and turned towards Rorschach that he identified as the leader, he quickly renounced to go further with him: first, the man was scary, second, and most important, he remained completely silent, he decided to interrogate the teens, hoping they would be more talkative than the adults, they just talked a little much. He learned only one interesting thing: when he asked them how their parents felt about their vigilantes activities, Grey Wolf and the Phantasm just answered their parents didn't know about it and Fredson that he had no problem with it since he never had folks in the first place. An orphan, now that was a tear-jerker ! Thought Morpork.

"Excuthe-me ?"

It was the iconographer.

"Can I take a picture of your group ? I promithe it won't take long . Pleathe ?"

A few minutes after, the masked heroes **(2)** were posing for the iconography, Rorschach still didn't know why he had accepted: he hated photos and saw them as useless publicity stuff, maybe the fact the journalist didn't charge the boy with anything and still saw him as a hero made him accept more easily than usual. But now it was becoming annoying, the iconographer didn't seem satisfied with their position on the icono, and the heroes were getting fed up with the "a little more on the left", "a little more on the right", "get near the young lady "...

While Otto had a problem with his iconograph, Grew Wolf turned towards Rorschach:

"Rorschach ? I am sorry."

"For what ?"

"For what ? I've almost bitten you !"

"Hurm. Forget it."

"Forget it ? I couldn't control myself because of the blood ! I could have kill you or the others !"

"But you didn't, and don't speak that loudly the press is still here. What he's that little guy he's talking with ? A gnome ?" he asked pointing at Otto

"No. That's just an imp," answered Fredson

"And what is he doing into the camera ?"

"He paints the picture the iconographer takes, he must have ran out of colors," answered Fredson, wondering why the hell he had called the iconographer a camera

"You've never seen an iconograph or what ?" asked the Phantasm

"Shh !" said Grey Wolf. "I think he's ready now. So let's all smile so that we can get it over quickly," he added impatiently

"Smile everyone ! That's a smile, corporal ? You with the weird masks, are you smiling ?"

"I'm grinning. Can't you see it ?" said Fredson, sounding exasperated

"Just take the photo !" ordered Rorschach

The iconographer wondered briefly why he was saying "photo" instead of "icono", then he raised the cage with salamanders and took the icono, producing a blinding flash.

When the little shiny stains in their eyes disappeared, they saw a pile of dust instead of Otto Chriek.

"Where's the iconographer ?" asked Rorschach

"Here," answered Fredson pointing at the pile of ashes as it was obvious.

A pile of ashes... Rorschach remembered legends of his world, especially a well-known book he had to read in literature-class; Well, the vampire was in the logical continuity of the werewolf after all, there were just Frankenstein and the Mummy who were missing now.

"He's a vampire ?"

"'Course he is ! What could he be elseway ?" exclaimed the Phantasm

"Where I come from they're just legend. The same for wizards and everything in this weird world."

"And where do you come from ?" asked Fredson

"Far away, very far away."

"More precisely ?"

"Another world."

"Another world ? You're kidding ? Forget it, stupid question. I knew you were a stranger but I just thought you were from Uberwald with a name like "Rorschach". There're other differences between your world and the Disc ?"

"First, it's round."

"What ! You live on a ball ? That's impossible, people would fall off, everything would fall off !"

"Nothing fall, Fredson," sighed the alien

"Why don't you fall off then ?"

He didn't know how to answer that, he wasn't good at sciences, but at literature, mathematics and religion. So he decided to give him an honest answer.

"I don't know."

"You'll tell us more about your world ?"

"Maybe."

The journalist took a bottle full of some dark red liquid.

"How fortunate, good that Mr De Words told us to always have one with us."

"What's use for ?"

"Reanimate him of course. Don't worry, he's a Black Ribboner."

"A what ?"

"It means abstinent vampires," answered the Phantasm while the journalist was shedding the liquid on the pile of ashes that changed back into Otto Chriek.

"Abstinent ?"

"It means they don't drink our blood anymore. Where's Grey Wolf ?"

"He's ran away just after the vampire turns back to ashes," answered Fredson before leaving with the Phantasm.

Rorschach left, followed by Rincewind, Albert Morpork ran after them:

"You're leaving already ?"

Rorschach looked behind him, he didn't say a word, he didn't even grunt, but the journalist understood quickly that he should consider himself lucky: he got an interview and an iconography and he shouldn't insist if he wanted to keep the use of his fingers, which happened to be his most important tools.

"Well, thank you very much for giving us some minutes of your precious time," he said whereas the heroes were too far away to hear what he said. "Let's go Otto."

But the reporter was happy: he had an iconography of the group and even an interview, rather short yes but it was the first interview ever made of the heroes, and on top of it he had a scoop: Rorschach came from another world, a round one !

·][·

Grey Wolf ran towards the alleyway where he hid his spare costume, he noticed with relief that his civil clothes where here too, he put them on and ran towards his home, wondering what lie he could tell to justify his absence. When he opened the door, a little red-haired tornado hugged him and almost make him suffocate when she put her little yet strong arms around his neck.

"Gavin !"

"Elsa ! You're already awake ?"

"Elsa, let go of your brother. Gavin, can you tell me why you weren't in your bed this morning ?"

Time to show some creativity.

"I remembered I had forgotten something at Sam's last time, so I went to get it back."

"And what did you forget ?"

"Nothing important."

"If it isn't important, then why going to recuperate it at night ?"

"Not worth insisting on it dear, at this age they like to keep their little secret, that's normal."

Thanks Dad ! Carrot had just appeared in uniform, ready to go.

"Very well, then I'll ask the commissioner what not important thing our son forgot at his home to sneak out in the middle of the night without saying anything."

Don't panic, tell something, now !

"In fact, I've realized along the way that I didn't forget it at Sam's but at an other friend's."

"Who is...?"

His mother was staring at him more insistently now.

"You don't know him."

"Good. Have a good night Carrot."

Had his mother just given up on a questioning ? That would be the very first time !

She hugged her daughter before leaving.

"Good bye Elsa, be nice with your brother and I'll told you a story about a wolf who delivers a young princess from an ogre tonight."

Angua, before closing the door, looked one last time at his son, smiling.

So she knew everything. It was too good to be true.

·][·

Fredson walked back home, stopping first at the place where he hid his civil-clothes. He was about to take off his mask when he heard "bark" behind, it didn't sounded like a bark, someone had said "bark", he looked back and saw no one, just the little ill-looking dog from earlier, he must have dreamed.

"Why are you still here ? You've been following me from the Ogre's house, I bet you're even on the iconography !"

Gaspode decided to try the puppy eyes-thing on Fredson, though he had noticed that many humans said something like "Oooooh ! What a cutey !" when other dogs did it, but when he tried, they were at best disgusted, at worst, they kicked him. Maybe he would be more lucky with this mad young biped.

"Wow ! What's up with your eyes ? You're gonna die right now or what ? Can't let that happen, even if you're really ugly. Wanna come at my place ? I've never had a pet and my landlady has nothing against it."

Fredson, who had taken off his mask and put a civil costume was heading back home, the little greyish dog following him.

"How will I call you ?"

He somehow heard "Gaspode", but since there were no one he must have thought it.

"Gaspode will do. You're hungry Gaspode ?"

Gaspode followed with enthusiasm his new roommate, yes, it wasn't a master but a roommate: a rather practical roommate since he provided the food and paid the rent.

Thus Gaspode the Wonder Dog became the only being in Ankh-Morpork to know Fredson's secret identity.

**(1) I****f the Rorschach classical dictionary existed you would find at the entry "journalist" something like "little scum that make heroes look like criminals, giving them a bad name. Treat journalists like criminals ? An idea to consider."**

**(2) With Rincewind, Nobby and the little girl**

**In this chapter I tried my best to write Otto's uberwaldian accent, I don't know how it really sounds like in English since I've only read the French translation of _The Truth_, so can you tell me please if it sounds like him or not ? Thank you.**

**And by "specist" I meant the Discworld's equivalent for "racism", in the French translation the translator Patrick Couton used the word "spécisme" instead of "racisme" for that, if someone knows what is the exact word for that notion in the books it would be very nice to tell me.**

**The journalist Albert Morpork is a reference to the reporter we see in _Watchmen_, he's in both the comics and the movie, the one from the _Nova Express_ who interviews Manhattan about cancer, that's why I made him a red-head, and to the French journalist Albert Londres, the only reference is the last name since Albert Londres was a committed reporter who wasn't interested in sensationalism, Londres' last name is indeed a city name (London), so I decided to name the journalist "Morpork".**


	9. Chapter 9: Of trolls and dealers

**Disclaimer: I don't own _Watchmen_, it's Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons property for the comics version and Zack Snyder for the movie version, and I don't own _Discworld_, Terry Pratchett does. Do you seriously think after all I've said that I get paid on it ?**

**A new masked-hero in this chapter !**

**Sorry if I hadn't post it earlier but I had a lot of corrections to do in the following chapters that should arrive more quickly, these corrections obliged me to rewrite some parts of this chapter.**

**Enjoy !**

**Chapter 9 : Of trolls and dealers**

Gaspode had been living with this funny human who wore a mask at night for a few days now, the human en question had been rather nice with him, maybe he could consider talking to him, after all he was hanging around with humans weird enough, especially the older one who smelled just a little less than Foul Ole Ron, to not be surprised by a talking dog. And this night, he would come with him instead of sleeping, otherwise he would become as soft as a pet dog, he didn't want to be a pet dog, and he wasn't one since he was only living with this biped, who was certainly not his master, absolutely not, proof of it ? He hadn't a bowl with his name on or a basket full of soft cushions, he only had a old plain bowl and a pile of old papers;

The human for the moment was sleeping under a blanket from which a red mop of hair and a nose were sticking out.

He get closer to the human and put his nose against the human's cheek: the cold contact with this last one was enough to wake up anyone, his mast... roommate sat up, groaning, eyes half closed, and looked at him.

"What do you want doggie ? I gave you water an hour ago. Leave me alone, would like to sleep a little before the night."

He let himself fall down. Gaspode decided to make it quicker by nibbling at his hand.

"OW ! What's wrong with you ?"

Then he grumbled to himself something about an ingrate who bite the hand that feed him and another thing about bad teeth that could cause diseases while he was pushing away the blanket.

"You're awoken biped ? Relax, it was just a nibble, no risk it gets infected. I'm glad to tell you that you have as a companion Gaspode the wonder dog, the only talking dog in Ankh-Morpork. I'm telling you all this because I trust you."

The human stared at him, eyes wide-open.

"Stupid dream, talking dog, what next ?"

He fell asleep, Gaspode jumped on his chest and lick his face.

"You're not dreaming, got it ? I'm talking, see ?"

The one called Fredson at night took the dog away from his chest after he wiped the slaver away from his face.

"Holy shit ! You can talk for real !"

"You finally admit it, great. Now put me down !"

"If you shut your mouth. Now, I really have to go, stay here."

He slammed the door as he left the room, making fly thus a piece of paper from the Times on which could be read...

·][·

_THE OGRE OF THE SHADES KILLED BY MASKED HEROES !_

That's what could be read on the first page of the _Times__,_ there was also an article about the heroes' interview, in which we learn that Grey Wolf was a werewolf, but the reporter insisted on the fact he had been violent only towards a malevolent being, proof of the werewolves good integration, and that Rorschach came from another world, a round world !

And the Dean, who was reading the newspaper, couldn't even blame Rorschach since Rincewind was with him, like the iconography showed it. After all, it proved he was right from the very beginning. When he'll tell about it to Ridcully who didn't suspect a thing...

·][·

The young man, as he was rushing downstairs, collided with a man.

"Hey ! Look where you're going, you little... Oh, that's you kid. Hi !"

"Er... 'Evening Burned Face;"

He had just collided with his floor-neighbor, a major burn-victim who looked like if he had been dragged from a nightmare, even after three years living in the same floor, the teenager remained a little disturbed by his face, especially when he appeared suddenly from the dark.

"Where are you going like that every night ? Got yourself a girl, hey ? With your face you still have your chances you at least."

"No, I'm just seeing friends in a pub."

"Every night ?"

He nodded.

"You can hold your liquor pretty well for your age then, kiddo. Never seen you looking drunk when you come back."

"Yep, sorry but got to go."

"Have fun kiddo. Hope your dog will pass the night by the way."

The young man looked down and noticed the little dog had followed him.

"Dork !"

His neighbor grabbed the dog by the neck's skin and, looking embarrassed and upset, ran even faster and before disappearing said one last thing to his neighbor:

"Sorry, gotta go, late !" and he added on a lower tone to the dog once outside. "Don't ever do that again !"

Strange, thought Burned Face going upstairs, it didn't sound like the voice of his young neighbor. Maybe he should not have drink all that scumble.

·][·

"Fucking stupid Omnians ! I've already told you I will put your fucking Book of Om where the sun doesn't shine if you ever come back ! Maybe you need a demonstration to finally understand... Oh, that's you Sam, come in," said the man lowering his crossbow, the only thing sticking out from the half-opened door in case it would be the agent Visit or another of these bloody stubborn Omnians who didn't seem to understand the meaning of "get lost !"

Besides, he didn't understood why they were losing their time with him in the first place, he was an alchemist and Om in some passages of his bloody book **(3)** ordered rather gross horrible things to be done to the alchemists, classified as heretics like many others, and the didn't want this kind of after-death. Why the heck would he worship a god who obviously hated him ?

"Hello Fred," said the young man as he entered into the building, followed by a little dragon, the man in his eternal dirty red and green stripped sweat locked the door.

"I come for the D-food."

"Here you go. You're satisfied with it ?" asked the alchemist as he gave Sam a little bag containing what looked little pieces of coal.

"Very much. It worked perfectly this time."

"Great, I can still make it better you know."

"I f you want, but it's really good as it is."

Sam was indeed very satisfied with Fred's work. When he was looking for an alchemist to help him in the research for his dragon's food, most of them had asked exorbitant prices to work out of the guild, but people had advised him a guy called Burned-Face, who wasn't the sharpest knife of the drawer but wasn't a spoon either they said, a burn-victim known for selling, like others alchemists did, various medicines out of the guild but who sold them at very reasonable prices unlike his colleagues or the apothecaries. His patients were for most of them cured and alive, which was enough to prove his skills for Sam **(4)**.

"Could you leave now, please ? Not that I don't enjoy your company but I'm doing an experiment and I don't want a dragon around. If the temperature raises even just a little because of this stupid lizard there might be a big explosion."

"Everything ends up blowing up with you anyway," Sam retorted

"Hey ! It happens less and less !" replied the burn-victim as he was looking for ingredients into a cupboard crammed with jars which content was, for the better, difficult to identify.

"What about your landlady and the other tenants ? They've never complained about your experiments ?"

"Nope, they know nothing about it."

"They don't hear the explosions ? You're kidding me ?

"Nope, I've soundproofed everything, why do you think there're mattress on the walls ? For decoration ? Hey ! Stop it, you stupid beast !"

He was talking to Phoenix which was on the back of a big bright red sleepy salamander which were laid down near the fireplace.

"Don't want some hybrid between a dragon and a salamander !" ha said grabbing the salamander, after putting on big and very resistant leather gloves since the beast was always burning after having slept in the fire, and put it on the table. He would soon use the lizard for an experiment anyway, Fred saw indeed the creature more like some work tool than a pet: he used it to heat the various mixtures he prepared after she had absorbed the heat of the fire in the fireplace, an ability owned by the species: salamanders could absorb heat. A rather nice pet, always sleeping in the fire, didn't cost a lot in food since it ate fire, stood for heating during winter and didn't risk to explode contrary to a dragon.

"You know it's technically impossible ? Swamp dragons and salamander can't blend. It's a female ? What's her name ?" asked Sam while Phoenix was climbing on his shoulder

"Don't know, don't care. The beast could be called "boiler" for the use I have of it."

He then put a leather apron, thick-glasses goggles and a foulard on the lower part of his face while the liquid he had obtained by blending the different ingredients was beginning to boil.

"Thanks for the D-food... I'm leaving, bye," said Sam stepping back quickly

Great, he had enough special D-food to start this night, in addition he was just near the Shades...

·][·

"Fredson. You're late," noticed Rorschach

"Not that much."

"What is this awful little dog doing with you ?" asked the Phantasm

"Awful ? Stupid bitch !"

"What did you just said ?"

"Nothing !"

"Remember what I told about fighting each other last time ?" asked Rorschach

"Yes, save it for criminals, we will do that, don't worry. Right Fredson ?" answered the Phantasm, who was in fact thinking like Fredson to how painful it could be to have the ear tweaked. "And you didn't answer about the dog."

"He's mine," answered the young vigilante, who kept talking despite the dog's growling. "But he's not gonna bother us any longer, I promise. Now go home, Gaspode."

The little dog didn't move.

"Excuse me," said Fredson as he grabbed the dog by the scruff of the neck and walked towards an alleyway, from where the others couldn't see him. "Won't take long."

Once in the alleyway, he released Gaspode who complained immediately.

"Stop grabbing me like that, it hurts you know ! I'm a quite old dog, you know ? You could be nice with me."

"Then try to be nice with me by stopping following me first ! Now Gaspode, you stay here or go home !"

"Hey, what gives you the right to give me orders ? Gaspode do this, Gaspode do that. You think you're my master or what ? I don't have any master ! I live under the same roof as you and we share the food but you're not my master, got it ? A roommate at best." He paused, looking at something behind the young mask and just said: "Oh crap."

Fredson looked behind him to see Rorschach, the Phantasm and Rincewind, it seemed that only Grey Wolf had respected his private life and stayed away, just looking at them.

"So, you called me bitch, flea bag ?" said the Phantasm, giving a bad look at the dog

"For your information young lady I've had no fleas for two week, but I have ticks now."

"A talking dog," said Rorschach, sounding more surprised than when he learned about the existence of vampires, he asked to the wizard. "Is that why there's a Dogs' Guild ?"

"Probably," said the wizard who just wished to be in the University at the moment rather than there and was cursing mentally both the Patrician and Ridcully.

"Let me tell you you're wrong", said the dog. "The other dogs can't talk, I' m the one and only talking dog."

"Why are you with Fredson ?"

He was questioning a dog, sick how it didn't surprise him as much as it should.

"To be sure nothing happens to him, after all he's the one who brings the food and owns the room."

"I'm just a tenant. I think I'll throw you out when I'm back home, you stupid dog !"

"I don't think so."

"What makes you so sure ?"

"I've seen your face and I know where you live."

"That's unfair !" exclaimed Fredson while the stains on his mask were moving faster than usual. "I thought you were a normal dog back then !"

"A dog blackmails you, you're really unlucky !" chuckled the Phantasm. "So Gaspode, can you tell us of his secrets ? What does he look like under ?"

"You would be surprised..." answered laconically the dog.

"You little..."

Rorschach was ready to move the Phantasm away from the young one, even if he thought she asked for it, but he was tired of the quarrels between these two. But unexpectedly, Fredson didn't attack his colleague, he bent over Gaspode and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.

"Let me go !"

"My pleasure."

He put right in front of Grey Wolf.

"Let me introduce to you, my colleague, Grey Wolf, he's a werewolf and tonight it's full moon. He could eat you as an appetizer if I asked him. So keep your mouth shut ! We can go now."

·][·

While the humans were talking about drug-dealers: the smelly one had a tip from a guy after he broke his arm the other night, Gaspode decided to talk with the werewolf.

"Hello, we've already met days ago, remember ? You're related to Angua ? You look a lot like her."

"She's my mother. You know her ?"

"Yep, a little. What's your name, your real name I mean."

"Gavin."

"Funny she gave you that name."

"Why ?"

"It was the name of a wolf who saved her life in Uberwald years ago, a very intelligent and brave wolf." **(1)**

"Glad she gave me his name then."

"By the way, your friend Fredson is not what you think."

"What... Don't tell me anything about him !"

"No need, you can find out yourself with your nose. I wonder why you haven't found out yourself, since you've been hanging out with this biped for quite some time. Unless your sense of smell is very weak."

"I was under my human form most of the time, under this form I can smell just a little better than the humans. And my sense of smell is less developed than my mother's," he admitted

For the sake of curiosity he decided to check what Gaspode told him, anyway, if he discovered anything there was no way he would tell the others what his comrade was keeping secret. Fortunately Fredson didn't smell as much as Rorschach did, because when one doesn't wash at all the stench covered his true smell, which allowed it to find the true smell of his partner after some efforts though. And he was surprised by what he discovered, he had expected anything but this.

·][·

They arrived not far from an old building from where two men had just left, looking on drugs with their little bags, unfortunately for them, they encountered Rorschach and the others, hidden in the shadows, the first was caught by Rorschach, the second by Fredson.

"The dealers. How many are there ?"

Instead of insulting them, fighting, begging for mercy or crying out of fear like the criminals usually did when they confronted them, the two junkies had a rather unexpected reaction: they burst out laughing;

"Wow, your face is melting, dude!" said the one Rorschach was grabbing by the collar;

"What beautiful colors !" exclaimed the one Fredson kept prisoner, staring at his mask. "Oh, a red one !"

The teen was so surprised that he released the junkie who, instead of running away, kept looking at him laughing in a silly way.

"What's wrong with them ? They're not supposed to react that way, dammit !"

"That must be the drugs," proposed Rincewind, who, because he opened his mouth, reminding to the heroes that the wizard was with them: they tended to forget his presence since he didn't talk much ant acted even less, the only one they didn't forget was the Luggage. "They must think you are hallucinations."

Rorschach broke a finger to the junkie in front of him, he finally had a normal reaction: crying.

"Gods ! Why did you do that ?" exclaimed the Phantasm

"Prove him I'm real."

"There were other ways," protested the young girl

The other junkie suddenly charged Rincewind yelling: "Die fucking scarecrow ! Die !" **(2)** but he never reached him since the Luggage swallowed it before the vigilantes could have done anything.

"Shit. I should not have released the guy..."

"Quit it ! Shouldn't have attacked Rincewind," protested the eldest vigilante, who noticed that Fredson was still too soft, much less soft than Daniel, the Phantasm or Grey Wolf but still soft on some criminals. He then turned towards the remaining junkie, who was looking, a terrified look on his face, at the Luggage: "You'll be next if you don't tell me how many dealers there are."

"There... there are four inside... don't let it eat me, please, let me go !"

"No way. Consuming drugs is a crime, you must be punished. The Watch or the Luggage, your choice."

"The... the Watch."

"Good. You'll wait them with the wizard. Rincewind, you'll stay here."

"As you wish Rorschach," answered the wizard with relief

The hero turned then towards the homicidal walking chest:

"Eat him if he tries to escape."

The chest stuck a big mahogany tongue out and licked its teeth, making the prisoner gulping.

The masked-heroes had found a better way than tying criminals up or beat them until they lost consciousness to keep the criminals from running away since Rincewind was with them: let the Luggage with them.

He headed towards the hide-out of the drug dealers, when Fredson said:

"Wait, Grey Wolf isn't following."

"And there's another wolf," added his partner

Grey Wolf was indeed behind them, facing a wolf with a fur as white-golden as his, which barked at him firmly, he whined but the other groaned, baring its teeth, Grey Wolf bowed and followed the wolf.

"What ? Come back !" ordered Rorschach

"No need biped, he won't obey to you," said Gaspode as the two wolves were going farther.

"Why ?"

"She has more authority on him than you, she's his mother."

"Then we'll do without the werewolf."

·][·

Four drug-dealers came out, when they saw the heroes they immediately tried to run away but they were caught easily and brought under the guard of Rincewind, or more exactly the Luggage.

"Rorschach, I think you forgot one. I've seen a face at the window," said the wizard

They looked at the window and saw a face that quickly disappeared, they rushed inside the building and Fredson ran towards the cases from where came a suspicious noise.

"Gotcha !" he said as he caught the dealer, then he walked towards the exit with his prisoner. "Can we go now ?"

"Not so fast," said Rorschach who grabbed the drug-dealer by the collar to pin him against the wall. "Are there others with you ? Speak !"

"Not the fingers ! Not the fingers !" begged the man

"Answer then !"

"Yes... yes, there're others... behind this door," he said showing them an impressive door locked by a padlock. "They asked me to lock them in when they saw you arrive, but if I hand them over to you, you'll let me go free, hey ?"

Rorschach released him rudely.

"You'll be lucky already if you keep you fingers unbroken. Got the key ?"

He nodded.

Then he dragged him towards the door followed by the teens and the dog.

"Open it."

Shaking, he opened the padlock, then tried to escape but Fredson and the Phantasm caught him up.

"Not fast enough," said Rorschach opening the door. He wondered briefly why the man looked so terrorized, after all he didn't harm him in anyway, doesn't matter he thought.

"Liar ! Nothing but a pile of bricks behind this door !"

"Er... is the pile of bricks moving ?" asked the Phantasm in a worried voice.

The pile of bricks had risen and looked at them angrily through hazy eyes.

"That's not bricks... that's a troll !" shouted Fredson

The dealer took advantage of the terror and stupefaction that paralyzed the vigilantes at the sight of the troll to escape after punching Fredson, who was holding him, in the stomach he quickly locked himself in a nearby room, the heroes heard a key locking the door.

"Try to escape this, heroes !" were the last word uttered by the thug

"Rorschach... Sorry for...," began Fredson

"Not now. Just run !"

He grabbed each of them by one arm and ran towards the closest hiding-place while the troll was running after after them, fortunately not very quickly. The door was too far, there was no way they could reached it: they would get smashed by the troll if he saw them, but maybe something little wouldn't be noticed...

"Gaspode," whispered Fredson while his colleagues were watching the troll from their hiding-place: a pile of drugs' boxes.

"Y... yes ?"

"Go and get help, tell there's a troll. Quick !"

And Gaspode ran as quickly as his little legs allowed while the boxes behind the ones the vigilantes were hidden had just been pulverized by the troll.

·][·

"So, you know for the Ogre ?"

"Yes."

"I see. I'll left the group and stop going out when full moon, or I'll go out just with you."

"Gavin, when did I ask you that ?"

"It means I can stay in the group ?"

"I just wanted to warn you about your temper when you're in wolf-form, last time you were lucky your aggressiveness fell upon a child-killer, by the way I'm proud of you for saving that kid."

"Yes, but I lost control because of the blood, I've almost bitten Rorschach and I didn't remembered what I had done, I had no control, I could have killed one of my colleagues or the little girl. Perhaps I shouldn't come with them at full moon."

"It's your choice. As for the one you had almost bitten, you didn't try to attack him after ?"

"No. From what I remember at least."

"So you can control yourself at least a little, that's impressing already. You'll need to work harder on it, especially on keeping yourself calm when there's blood. It's still difficult for me, you know."

"Gavin ! Gavin !"

Gaspode stopped between the two werewolves to catch his breath.

"Pfff... The bipeds need help... pfff... They're fighting a troll..."

"A troll ! Mum, I must go, they need me !"

"Gavin, it's a troll. You're not going alone. Gaspode, go and find Carrot, tell him to bring as many men he can get !"

"But mum, they need me, and I'm afraid you'll have to look for Dad yourself, just look at Gaspode." The little dog was indeed laying down, his tongue hanging, breathing loudly and unable to move.

"Fine, I'll bring your father and the others, but please don't take inconsiderate risks."

"I promise."

The two werewolves separated each other and were about to go, when Gavin looked back.

"Mum, can you please don't say anything to Dad ? He would be worry."

"Alright," answered Angua, acknowledging his son was right about it: despite all he was saying about letting the boy some independence and privacy at his age, Carrot was still caring a lot, sometimes too much, for his son, even if he tried to hide it to not bother Gavin. Anyway, she thought, she would still keep an eye on the boy during her patrol, when she wasn't with Elsa of course.

Two golden figures ran in opposite direction there and a little exhausted dog managed to stand up after three tries, and followed very slowly the young werewolf, thinking to himself that he was too old for this crap.

·][·

"Anyone know how to beat a troll ?" asked Rorschach

"Unless you're a troll, a dwarf or a barbarian hero I don't think there's any chance. The only way is hiding and wait until he gets tired, and prey any gods you know," answered the Phantasm

"Great, that's the last box he didn't break," said Fredson. "Worst, looks like he's suffering from withdrawal symptoms. If he was clean, we could negotiate, but in this state, no way. Now if someone has any idea..."

"Got one. You and the Phantasm, run towards the exit."

"What about you ?"

"Will distract the troll."

"We can't let you !" protested Fredson

"Go now," ordered the mask

"No way ! Listen I have a..." answered the younger mask

The Phantasm, ready to run, grabbed the stubborn vigilante to compel him to go and interrupted him:

"Fredson, we must do as he say. Don't be... OW !"

The troll had hardly touched her, yet it was enough for her to fall unconscious, fortunately, her head didn't hit the wall or the ground since Fredson managed to catch her in time.

"Just obey. Don't discuss. Bring her outside, hurry !"

Fredson, carrying her partner on his shoulder, ran as fast as he could towards the exit, while Rorschach ran in the opposed direction to distract the troll from the young heroes and was trying to avoid the blows.

·][·

The two werewolves arrived just when Fredson exited with the Phantasm from the building.

"Grey Wolf ? Good to see you !" said Fredson putting the young girl down. "Bring her to the wizard, got a plan to help him."

And the mask re entered into the place despite the protesting barks of his colleague.

"Don't worry werewolf," said Gaspode who had just arrived. "Bring the female biped to the wizard. I'm sure he'll be okay. You're heroes, right ? You're supposed to be lucky bastards who survive anything, aren't you ?"

At this moment, he hoped sincerely it was the case: it was nice to have a regular and rather abundant food, a cozy place away from cold, which was important for an old dog like him, and someone who scratched him behind the ears without being disgusted by his scabs.

·][·

It was the fourth time Rorschach hadn't been able to avoid the blows of the rabid troll, worse: he had been touched on the leg this time, so strong it made him fall. The troll caught him by a leg with the intention of squashing him against the wall until death. While he was upside down, he saw a familiar figure going near the boxes of drugs.

"Fredson ? Why are you here ? Go out !"

But the young man wasn't willing to obey and the troll just turned his head towards him. Stupid ! Why did he cry out ? Stupid, stupid !

"Hey, you the troll, come here !" shouted Fredson at the top of his voice and waving his arms.

The kid had suicidal tendencies or what ? And what was that thing he was waving now ?

"See what I got here ?" he said taking off a little bag a handful of white powder. "That's what you want, hey ? So come and get it !"

Suddenly, the troll dropped Rorschach and, driven by greed, ran towards the young vigilante who ran away: it looked like a good idea, he had tried to talk about it to Rorschach earlier but he didn't listen, and there was a few chances he would have accepted an escape-plan involving drugs even in that situation, Rorschach was safe, now time to care about his own safety.

He picked himself but walked slower than usual because of his still painful leg. Bloody troll !

·][·

Rincewind was waiting with the girl who was still unconscious, the prisoners terrorized by the luggage.

"He's still inside..." said Grey Wolf sounding anxious

"Two minutes ago only. Gavin, he said he had a plan, just let him time," told him Gaspode

"I will not wait."

The young werewolf moved towards the building from which bumped out Fredson with a bag.

The sight of the young vigilante coming out alive would have normally made Rincewind happy, which impeached him to react so was the troll running after the young one.

The young one stopped running, a suicidal attitude second Rincewind, and brandished the bag to wave it at the troll. The kid must have definitely lost his mind. He then threw the bag as far away as he could from him and the others and the troll ran after the bag.

"Hey, Rorschach ! Did you see that ?" asked Fredson as he came back near the building

"Yes. What was in the bag ?"

"Slice, it's troll's drug. Hey ! What are you doing ?"

Rorschach looked indeed like he wanted to get back into the building.

"Still one drug-dealer inside, the bastard who let us with the troll. Must be punished."

"I'm coming with you then."

"No. You got the troll, you can leave me the junkie."

"Okay," said the young vigilante as the other re entered into the place. He left, almost feeling sorry for the dealer, even if he deserved what was about to happen.

·][·

"Hmmm... my head... I'm not into the building anymore ?" moaned the Phantasm who had just regained consciousness.

"Welcome back, Miss," said Rincewind extending his hand to help her to pick herself up.

"Where's Fredson ? Did the troll..."

"No he's fine, he dragged you out of here and took care of the troll," answered the wizzard. "He's now talking with commissioner Vimes."

The troll was indeed surrounded by troll-agents of the city Watch commanded by sergeant Detritus.

"What ? You want me to believe that this skinny guy beat up a troll ?"

"I did, and don't thank me for dragging you out of there !"

"Thank you ? If you had obeyed Rorschach immediately I would not have been unconscious... By the way where is he ?

"Well, he's..."

The building suddenly fallen apart.

"... inside..." finished Fredson, watching the ruins left of the building like the others

·][·

Just before the building fall apart, Detritus had taken the bag after the little human left it behind and looked inside as the troll agents impeached the junkie to touch his drug, he clenched his fist: this bloody thing turned young healthy trolls into trollian derelicts as weak as limestone. He aimed the Piecemaker at the building and fired.

·][·

"Sergeant Detritus !" shouted Vimes. "What did I tell you about this thing ?"

"Use the Piecemaker only when really necessary and only when you order it," answered the troll, who added for his defense. "But there was no one inside, commissioner."

"Wrong. Rorschach was inside," said Fredson. "Does anybody see him going out ?"

The only answer he got was an embarrassed an worry silence.

"I guess it means no."

·][·

Grey Wolf and the Watch's werewolf ran towards the ruins, nose on the ground. Vigilantes, watchmen, wizard and dog followed them: a werewolf's nose was always to be trust.

The two werewolves stopped near a pile and barked to the humans.

"What did they said ?" asked Fredson, on a lower tone so that no one could hear him talking to a dog, to Gaspode

"They said he's right under that pile."

"Well, he's dead for sure," stated the young girl

"Don't say that before we find the body," said Fredson. "There's a hole here..."

Saying so he took off his coat and hat, then knelt in front of a hole not much bigger than a rabbit-hole.

"What are you doing ?"

"See if I can reach him," answered the teen as his head disappeared inside

"Er Fredson, it's too little, you'll never... well, I was wrong, you've passed through," said Rincewind

Now only his feet sticking out of the hole proved the presence of the slim, not to say rather skinny, teen who was searching any sign of the masked hero, and he found one...

"Hey ! Got his hat !"

"You got the head with it ?" asked the Phantasm

"Funny really."

He had the hat, good, but that didn't prove he was alive, going a little deeper, his feet disappearing too, he found something more tangible: a gloved hand, Vimes was holding now him by his feet, so that they don't end up with another trapped mask. After hesitating, he reached his hand towards the gloved one, to check if he was still...

"Hey !" yelled Fredson before being suddenly pulled out of the hole by the watchmen

"What happened down here ? Are you hurt ?" asked Vimes

"No, no I'm okay. And I've found him."

"Is he...," began Rincewind, sounding worry.

"No, still living. He grabbed my hand when I touched it, that's why I've yelled, but not for long if we don't get a move on."

The dust-covered vigilante began to clear away the crumbs helped by the others.

"At this rate, he'll be dead when you finish," said Vimes

"You have a better idea ?" asked Fredson

"Much better. SERGEANT DETRITUS !"

The troll, who was lifting sections of wall and had almost smashed others watchmen by throwing them away behind his shoulder, looked back.

"Rorschach is under this pile and only you can lift all this."

Eager to repair his mistake, he bent towards the mound and lift it, the masked heroes, Rincewind and Vimes moved away as rocks and other stuff were falling.

They could see an unconscious Rorschach covered with dust and, most alarming, red stains, his right arm trapped under a beam that the troll took away from him quickly, under the beam was the vigilante's arm, clutching someone else's arm, well, more precisely let's say the arm was the only part of the other body that remained intact, the rest of the body was now little red pieces.

"Shit, it's the dealer who trapped us with the troll !" exclaimed Fredson

"He already had this face when you saw him ?" asked Vimes

"No, it wasn't that... flat. Idiot, I told him to go out when I made the troll leave, I told him, but no, he had to get in again and catch this guy !"

"And he didn't released him when everything fell on him," observed. "Impressive, even if it's a sign of madness. Detritus, the wounded are not to be moved, it's too dangerous, go and bring Igor with you, now !"

"And hurry, his pulse is weak, really weak," added the Phantasm who had just bent over Rorschach with the others and was taking his pulse.

Vimes joined them after Detritus left.

"He's quite strong, normally he shouldn't have survived this."

"The mask, the scarf... Look !" exclaimed Fredson

The normally white scarf was indeed getting redder and redder, the same for the lower part of the mask.

Igor arrived with Detritus with Detritus right at this moment.

"So, here ith the wounded ? Mothe away from him pleathe."

Igor knelt besides the mask and looked at him attentively.

"I thee, internal bleeding, vhy didn't you take off thif thing before he suffocate ?" said Igor as he took off the mask, revealing the face covered with blood and bruises of a red-head. The young heroes and Rincewind had briefly thought about telling him that Rorschach would be furious if his mask was taken off, but it appeared that the only option to not make him furious would be let the mask on a corpse.

"He'f quite a mess, right arm broken, lots of brokers ribs, facial bones broken too. And a lot of bruises, the liver has been pierced, he'll need a new one, luckily for him I got a good one from my great grand-dad, good as new ! Could have been much worse, a miracle he's still alive and has nothing else broken."

"He lives in the Univerfity, right ? So let'f get him at their infirmary. And I'll need my fpare organf and infstruments there."

"How long will he stay there ?" asked Fredson

"For a while, but don't worry he will recover."

"I don't want to tell him that," said Rincewind

"I beg your pardon ?"

"I don't want to tell him he's going to stay into the University for quite some time," repeated the wizard. "I say that now because I know my colleagues will say something like _why not send Rincewind to announce him that ? They get on pretty well after all_."

Igor shrugged, which was a rather strange thing to see since his shoulders weren't exactly at the same level, then he ordered two agents to put the wounded on a stretcher, after he put a piece of fabric to hide his face on the advice of the wizard and the vigilantes, and they bring him to the University, followed by Rincewind.

·][·

Fredson was going back home crossing the Shades, like the others he was worry about Rorschach but was mostly stunned to discover there was actually a face under that mask. This may seem stupid but the young vigilantes got used to the idea that the mask was his face and could hardly imagine there were eyes, nose, mouth and everything a face is made of under.

He noticed two men talking with a third who gave them money for a little bag he quickly hid in his coat before disappearing. Goddammit, dealers again ! He knew crime never sleeps but couldn't he at least take a nap sometimes ? He decided to go on as if he hadn't seen anything, he had been fed up with dealers for a while that night and he will have to work soon. But he had not even walked one meter when he heard a little annoying voice under his head: "that's not what Rorschach would do." After a little think, Fredson decided to arrest this guy, which didn't keep him from wondering why the hell he was doing that , He was alone, Rorschach will not even know, that was stupid, but for some reason he didn't want to disappoint him in any way, and well It was Octeday today, that's not as if he had to work.

He overcame easily the two dealers and after tying them up and put his card, he suddenly felt something warm behind him, heard a cry, he looked back: there was a man with a hand slightly burnt and a dagger at his feet: the bastard had almost stab him in the back and he didn't see it coming ? He really needed to sleep.

"Stop whining ! They'll take care of you in prison ! By the way, who did that to you ?"

"I did it."

Fredson looked at the one who talked: he was a teen in a dirty yellow leather suit with a little smiling face drawn on the chest, a dark violet hood and a mask of he same color, he had in his arms a little swamp dragon, which had still smoke coming out of his nose, still pointed on the dealer like a crossbow.

"You're Fredson, right ? Nice to meet you. Why are you alone ? I thought you masks were working in group."

"We just get separated since the night has ended. It's still smoking, you're not afraid it could explode ?" said the young mask stepping back

"Don't worry, with the food I give him he can't. I would be honored to join you, but I guess I have to ask Rorschach, is your leader, right ?"

He had never claimed any title like that but since he was the eldest and gave the orders Fredson decided it could be said that way.

"Yes, but you will ask him later. He had an accident this night and will not be with us for quite some time."

"Ah."

"But I'm sure he wouldn't mind to see you in the group. What's your name by the way ?"

"Dragon."

"Obvious," said Fredson looking at the little swamp dragon. "You can join us tomorrow night if you want, the meeting-point is..."

And he muttered it to him.

"Thank you Fredson, see you tomorrow."

·][·

A red-head man looking almost like the kings of Djelibeybi with all his bandages was in the infirmary and his right arm was plastered, on the plaster could be read: "get well soon" **(5)** woke up and the first thing he saw was... a rock !

It reminded him of the building when everything fell apart as he finally caught the scum. Where was he by the way ? He looked down and noticed he was in a bed.

"What the..."

"Good morning Mr Rorschach," said the rock

He sat up with difficulty and saw a troll, he thought for a minute it was the junkie troll that almost beat him so hard until he noticed the troll in question wore a breast-plate which must had been made for an elephant judging from the size: the troll from the City Watch, what was his name again ? He knew the name reminded him of New-York. Oh yes, Detritus.

"Detritus ? What are you doing here ?"

"Come to apologize."

"For the smack ? Too late," snapped the wounded as the troll was reaching down for something. "What are you doing with this rock ? Hey, put it down !"

The troll held a big rick above Rorschach's head, the vigilante, who didn't want to go again through what he lived in the warehouse, tried to get up, but instead of running has he expected he fell on the roof, the blanket fell on him accidentally as he tried to cling to it, as the rock fell on the bed as Vimes rushed into the room.

"Detritus ! Stop !"

He looked at the broken bed with the big rock on, noticing there were fortunately nothing looking like a splashed human body.

Then he saw a hand wrapped up in bandages grabbing a corner, Vimes headed towards the hand and quickly grabbed it to help the mummified man to pick himself up, which visibly didn't pleased him.

"Could have done that myself."

"Are you alright ? I know it's a stupid question but that's the tradition."

"I'm fine," he grumbled while all his body was saying "I'm in pain, just sit, don't stood like that you idiot !", he mentally ordered it to shut up: if he had listen to his body's complaining he wouldn't have last long in the hero business.

"What did I do to the troll ? That's the second time one tries to kill me," asked the red-head looking daggers at Detritus

"Cultural misunderstanding, the trolls apologize by hitting the insulted one on the head with a big rock, they just forget we're not as strong as they are."

"He's strong for a human, commissioner. After all he received on the head because of me I don't think it would have killed him."

"Hang on. The building fell on me because of him ? How ? Thought it was an earthquake !"

"It wasn't, it was the Piecemaker."

"The what ?"

Vimes showed him the monstrous reconverted siege crossbow feared in all Ankh-Morpork.

"So, he really wanted to shoot me ?"

"No, he just wanted to destroy the building, it's the slab, the sergeant really hates drugs, and he didn't know you were still inside. By the way, he got you out of there."

"Hurm. Apologies accepted, not the rock," said Rorschach to the troll, who had suddenly gone higher in his estimation: someone who hated drug so much that he was willing to destroy an entire dealers' building couldn't be a bad person.

"The dealer, what happened to him ?"

"Dead. You were still holding him when discovered, it's been hard to make you lose your grip."

"Good," then he didn't spoke for a second, realizing something important: "my face !"

Why did it take him so long to realize he hadn't his face on ? The shock on the head probably.

"Only I, the kids, and Detritus of course, saw it. No one else know or will know about it, I swear. We had to take it off, you were bleeding under that thing."

"Where it is ?" he asked nervously

"I don't know, we gave it the wizards."

Just as Vimes was speaking, Ridcully entered into the room, saying in his usual soft and melodious voice:

"Finally awoken ? You're really unlucky with trolls from what I see my friend ! Hello commander Vimes !"

"Well, I think we'll leave you. Get well soon, Rorschach."

Then Vimes and the troll exited, leaving Rorschach alone with the Archchancelor.

"My face ? My clothes ?" repeated the mummified vigilante wearing just an undershirt and underpants. "And who undressed me ? Don't tell me it's this Mrs Whitlow," he added

"No, you've been undressed by the Igor of the Watch, he's been the one who mummified you when they brought you here with the bag on your head. Oh, he also gave you a new liver."

Igor ? Still unpleasant having been undressed and brought in the infirmary a second time, but this time he had not been completely undressed and a man did it, or at least a creature of the male gender since he was in Ankh-Morpork. Wait, a new liver ?

A nurse entered and yelled almost as loud as Ridcully did, pointing at Rorschach, since she looked a lot like his former landlady, Mrs Shairp, he was waiting her to say "You're late on the rent, Kovacs !", but instead she screamed:

"What is the patient doing out of his bed ?" she ran closer to him. "You must keep bed ! You hear me ?"

"You mean this bed ?" said Rorschach pointing at the broken bed whit the big rock still on it.

"How did this happen ?" gasped the nurse

"Just a troll Mrs Sharp," said Ridcully

The nurse grumbled and opened a camp-bed, then turned towards the wounded to say authoritatively:

"Get in ! You must keep bed, and for a good while !"

"No."

"Listen, you're in pain, so you must keep bed."

"I'm fine."

"Oh, you mean it doesn't hurt if I do this ?" said the nurse putting a finger on the man's bandaged right leg

"OW ! No..." he answered, cursing himself for letting her know how it hurt.

"Amazing you've stood on your legs all that time, the Igor told me they were both covered with a lot of bruises and flesh-wounds, but not a single broken bone, quite a miracle. Now sit down."

"Fine like this," grumbled the red-head

"You'll sit anyway, you won't stood like it that long," shrugged the nurse

"You'll see. Don't want to stay here any longer anyway. Scums outside who need to be punished."

"No way you leave the University before you've fully recovered,"said the lady

"You're a wizard, Archchancelor, can't you just heal me by magic ? Would be out soon."

"Sorry my friend, but I strongly advise you not to rely on magic for that, besides our last healing-spells' specialist died a long time ago, trying to heal himself."

"Hurm. You're telling me you can teleport a man from an universe to another but can't cure injuries ?"

"It's not the same."

He sighed then turned towards the nurse.

"My clothes and mask ? Where are they ?"

"You mean these awfully dirty rags ? I gave them to Mrs Whitlow so that she clean it. You don't seem happy with it, do you ?"

"Not happy with it" was an euphemism to describe the face Rorschach when he heard that now that. She gave his belongings to this whore ? He decided that Mrs Shairp's double was definitely worse than the original.

"Just great. I'm stuck in there, my face and uniform have been taken again, the kids are alone fighting crime..."

"Talking about the kids, they came to see you while you were still unconscious. Oh yes, they told you not to worry, they 'll keep fighting crime and come to see you."

"... Oh, good. I hardly see how it could be worst !"

Stibbons just opened the door...

"Hello Rorschach, glad to see you awake. Since you're going to stay with us for quite some time I would like to ask you a few questions, mind if we began now... Hey !"

"Leave my patient alone ! He need some rest !" boomed the bossy nurse pushing Stibbons out of the room.

Maybe he had misjudged her, she wasn't that bad.

·][·

_Rorschach's Journal, Century of the Anchovy_

_Good news: drug-dealers arrested, survived a troll-attack and confirmation that the youngsters are quite competent for their age, especially Fredson._

_Bad news: got many broken bones and a plastered arm, stuck into the University until healed, stupid wizards refused to heal me by magic, said it's too risky, what's the use of their magic then ? Mask and clothes washed by Mrs Whitlow again. Good point: this time she didn't undress me, nor touched me at all, and they left me wife-beater and underpants, not some stupid dress._

_Tried to leave the room, but fell off. Stupid wounded leg._

_Heard the youngsters have decided to keep fighting crime, hope they're doing well._

·][·

The day after, he was sat in a new bed, reading The Times, more especially a new invention in it: the stories-made of little-pictures-with texts-in-a-bubble **(6)**, better known as "comics" in his world.

It was the first time he saw something

"Rorschach and friends extraordinary adventures issue 1: The Ogre of the Shades" he could read. Who had invented such a dumb title ? And the rest was as terrible as the title.

First, the drawing: since when was he as tall and strong as Grey Wolf ? And the cartoonist had done the same with the other masks, as for the Phantasm, well let's say that in the real she would fall with the... female assets the cartoonist had made her. He also drew them in ridiculous fight scenes with a lot of BANG ! POUM ! SMACK !

And if only the drawing was bad, but the story was crap too with stupid dialogs: they even had him say things he would never say like "Surrender evildoer !"

How humiliating, looking at these pictures he almost missed the unjustified reputation of psychopathic and criminal serial-killer that most of the newspapers gave him in New York.

These, he read the name of the scenarist and cartoonist, Moorton and Gibbs will pay for it when he's out.

"Hey !"

He lowered the newspaper: nobody, he looked around him but still saw no one.

"Lower, biped !"

"Gaspode ? What are you doing here ?"

"Just hanging around while Fredson is working, day-job you know and I've decided to come here, keep company with you."

"Don't need company. Go away."

"You know how hard it's been for me with my age, my arthritis and my little legs to come here ? No to mention the shrub with tentacle that almost caught

"What do you complain about ? You didn't have to come in the first place."

"You're really an insensitive bastard, ain't you ?"

Gaspode was about to leave when he smelled something delicious on a table near the door, he raised his head and had a vision of heaven.

"Wow ! Are you gonna eat all that ? I can help you, you know ? Can I ?"

"After that, you'll leave ?"

"Yes."

"Then eat all you want."

There was indeed too much to eat for Rorschach, but too little for a wizard, indeed the meals served on the infirmary were prepared for wizards, which means it one meal could have fed a whole family in the Shades for a week.

"Hmm... steak, it's been so long since the last time I ate one. I had almost forgotten how it tastes. Oh, stuffed chicken !"

"You have news from the kids ?"

"They're fine and keep patrolling. Don't worry," answered the dog after eating half a chicken

"Hello Rorschach."

Oh no, thought the vigilante as he recognized Stibbons who had just entered.

"Can I ask you a few questions about... AOW ! My foot !"

He left the room running quite fast for a man who had just been bitten by Gaspode.

"Next time you'll think a little before walking on my tail, you idiot ! When I was eating on top of it. I am stuffed yes, but that's not a reason. You'll be happy now biped, I'm leaving."

"Gaspode ?"

"What ?"

"Come back anytime you want."

Then he left, wondering if the weird human was serious, maybe the shock on his head drove him crazy. He wasn't that nice usually.

**(1) Gaspode alludes here to the events of the **_**Fifth Elephant**_**, a Discworld novel about the Watch adventures in Uberwald. For those who haven't read it yet I advise you to do it, it's one of the best Discworld novel second me**

**(2) ****A childhood fear reactivated by the drug: he was very afraid of a scarecrow when he was young and a part of him still want to settle a score with the object of his fear, and Rincewind looked a little like the scarecrow in question.**

**(3) He had read once a umpteenth copy that the Omnians had left in front of his door, he began to use it, as usual, as toilet tissue. One night, he leaf through it, just cause he couldn't sleep and had not enough ingredients to do experiments, it was incredibly incoherent and repetitive, however it turned out to be better than any sleeping pills to sleep.**

**(4) ****Alchemists indeed to earn more money to pay the bills and stuff, because if they rely on the philosopher's stone for that they could whistle for it, used their skills in others fields, especially medicine, where they were better than those who officially did it, and their prices were lower. It's true that the apothecaries of the guild asked very high rate but they had a recovery rate of 100%, they indeed consider their dead patients as cured since the evil died with them.**

**(5) It's a cosmic law: everywhere in the multiverse, if anyone gets plastered, there will always be "get well soon" or other crap written on the plaster.**

**(6) The one who named this stuff had as much imagination at naming things as Leonard of Quirm**

**Sorry for the Uberwaldian accent of Igor, I don't how it sounds in English, only in French, so I did my best.**

**Please tell me if you liked it or not and sorry again for posting that late.**


	10. Chapter 10: The Masks of AnkhMorpork

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own the Discworld and Watchmen, they belongs to Terry Pratchett and Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons and Zack Snyder and I'm not paid for writing this stuff.**

**After a rather long chapter, a rather short one.**

**Chapter 10: The Masks of Ankh-Morpork**

"Hello Rincewind."

"Oh, hi kids."

He was still not used to see the kids elsewhere than in the streets of the city at night, since their leader was here they were allowed to come in the Unseen University for visit, as long as they didn't bother anyone.

"You know where the infirmary is ?" asked Fredson

"You don't remember ? You already come here though."

"Yes but we don't remember the way."

"Follow me."

"Good thing we found you by the way. The only one we found at this hour was a strange old wizard. When we asked him our way he just said _Why is a swamp dragon like a sofa ?_" said the Phantasm

"You just met the Bursar, he's always like that."

"How is Rorschach by the way ?" asked Fredson

"Awoken and fine. More grumpy than usual because he's stuck in here."

"Great," muttered the Phantasm, not sounding happy at all

·][·

Rorschach tried to put on his mask again, which was quite difficult with just one hand, and gave up. He had managed to put his pants and boots and they had fortunately left him his undershirt, so he could go out anyway.

He opened the door and saw Mrs Sharp.

"You're on your feet ? Bloody idiot, I told you to keep bed ! How many time should I repeat this, you..."

He slammed the door before she could finish her sentence and put a chair against the door to block it.

"Let me in, I must change your bandages, you'll get infected you imbecile !"

He would prefer any infection rather than being touched by a woman, especially a woman looking liker his former landlady.

·][·

"Fine, be that way !" screamed a woman as she stopped knocking at the infirmary's door to leave and curse under her breath.

"Hello Mrs Sharp," said Rincewind as he arrived near the infirmary with the young ones. "She's the nurse taking care of Rorschach", he precised to the teens

"Poor woman," commented the Phantasm to the Dragon

"Who are those ?" she asked

"They are, er... friends of your patient," answered the wizard, deciding "friends" could be used to describe the relationship between Rorschach and the teenagers since he tolerated their presence.

"He has friends ?" repeated in astonishment the nurse. "Amazing."

"We came to visit him, can we see him ?" asked Fredson

"If you can convince him to open the damn door."

·][·

Rincewind knocked at the door for some minutes before he gets an answer from Rorschach.

"Go away."

"Rorschach, it's me, the nurse has gone. You can open, please," asked Rincewind

After hesitating a little, Rorschach finally opened the door.

"Hi Rorschach, feeling better ?" asked Grey Wolf

He suddenly tried to close close the door but Fredson blocked it quickly with his foot.

"Ow ! Why do you slam the door at our face ?"

"Just take your foot off there."

"It's because of your face, is it ?" asked Fredson

"We've all seen it you know," said the Phantasm

"Get. Out," repeated the mask

"And we've come precisely for this reason," added Grey Wolf as he opened the door Rorschach tried vainly to block. "Er, Rorschach ?"

"I think he's behind the door, Grey," said Fredson as he closed the door, revealing the vigilante pinned against the wall by the shock with a bleeding nose.

"Sorry, are you okay ?" asked the young werewolf

"Still in the plaster but bearable," answered the vigilante as he cleaned the blood away

"So, as I said, we've seen your true face by accident and that's the purpose of our visit."

"The only one ?" asked an unknown voice which belonged to a young man whose costume reminded a lot of the first Comedian's costume for Rorschach, probably the Discworld's counterpart of the deceased mask.

"Oh, and we also came to introduce a new member: Dragon," said Grey Wolf pointing the young man in the yellow costume.

"Glad to meet you, sir," said Dragon who was about to extend his hand until Fredson muttered to him that it was useless.

"We just wanted to know if you accepted him in the group," said the werewolf

"I've seen it at work after your accident, he's good," added Fredson

"He can join. What it has to do with my face ?"

"We know your secret identity, we talked about it and we decided it would be fair to reveal you our faces and real identity," answered Grey Wolf

"You don't have to do that."

"Because Rincewind he's there and would therefore know about our identities too ?" asked the Phantasm

"No, Rincewind is everything but a threat for anyone."

"And glad about it because thus I interest no one, but please keep not paying attention to me. Really," said the wizard

"You don't have to and you shouldn't do that, that's all," continued the unmasked vigilante

"But we insist," said Fredson as he unmasked like the others, except the Phantasm who had no mask of course

The three boys looked all familiar to him.

"Related to captain Ironfoundersson and commissioner Vimes I guess ?"

"It's my father," they both answered almost at the same time.

"My name is Gavin Ironfoundersson and he's named just like his father, Samuel" precised Grey Wolf without the mask pointing at the now unmasked too Dragon

Then he turned towards Fredson who, without the top-hat and mask, had a face covered with freckles surrounded by red hair.

"We've already met..."

"Yeah, I know."

"... at Mrs Palm's..."

The other boys looked at him, eyes wide-opened.

"Hey ! That's not what you think ! I was here for a delivery, she's just a client."

"And... what was Rorschach doing there ?" asked Grey Wolf also known as Gavin

"He believed they were real seamstresses."

"Oliver ? I can't believe it's you," exclaimed Phantasm who had looked open-mouthed at the teen since he had taken off his mask

"You know me ? How ?"

"Can you imagine me with glasses and plaitss ? No ? I'll help you then," she added as she quickly made two plaits with her hair and put on her nose a pair of glasses that were on the bedside table. "Whose glasses are those ?"

"The nurse forgot them last time," answered Rorschach

"No... you can't be Corpsy !" exclaimed Oliver

"When I told you you wouldn't recognize me. And never call me that Oliver, I have a name, you know ?"

"Your name... Oh, yes, I remember it now ! It was..." said the boy smiling widely

"Don't dare say it..."

"I wouldn't dare Miss... Chastity Brandon !"

"You fucking little..."

Chastity. Her mother must really hate her to give her such a name, thought the vigilante even his whore of a mother didn't hate him so much that she gave him an awful name.

Oliver bowed just in time to avoid the punch of the furious girl Sam was trying to stop, he was laughing.

"What is your last name, Fr... Oliver ?"

"I don't have a last name, you need folks for that. But I do have a nickname."

"Say it."

"Twisted."

"It suits you perfectly," said Chastity

"Hey, that's not bursar twisted !"

"Bursar twisted ?" repeated Rorschach

"It means "crazy". We also have an expression "crazy like a bursar".

Oh, this Bursar, it made sense.

"So, why twisted ?"

"An old story that doesn't interest you."

Rorschach noticed the kid had quickly glanced at him and looked embarrassed saying that, had he done something wrong in his past he was hiding from him ? A criminal past ?

"How are you doing on patrol ?" asked the vigilante, deciding he would investigate on Fredson's past later

"Fine, we've spited in two teams: me and Fredson and Phantasm and Dragon."

"We've even brought you something to read from yesterday's patrol," said Sam as he handed the red-head a little book.

"_In five days only I'll make a masked hero out of you_," by Rorschach," read the vigilante on the cover. "Where did you find that ?"

"The Throat was about to sell it."

"The one with the sausages ?"

"If we can call it so."

"Wasn't so bad, there's much worse where I come from."

The teens remained silent for a minute: they had never heard someone using "not so bad" to describe Digger's food.

"Never written that, defamation. He'll pay for that when I'm out."

"No need, we took care of it."

"How ?"

"I've asked him to bring us all his stock and I burned it. Ad since it was a new product no one has heard about it," said Dragon

"He even burnt the copies he had hidden when I precised him you would take care of him personally when you learn about it," added the Phantasm

"Good. What about you two ?" he asked turning towards Fredson and Grey Wolf

"Well we've met a strange man with a mask, a masked villain we could say," said the werewolf, sounding like if he was talking about some painful experience he would have rather forgotten

"Masked villain is a very big word for him, Grey."

"Masked villain is a big word, you mean he's harmless ?" asked Rorschach

"Yes, he's never attacked us but he was rather creepy."

"Creepy ? He asked us to beat him !"

"Was his name Captain Carnage ?"

"Almost, Captain Ravage. How do you know that ?"

"Met a similar guy on Roundworld years ago. How did you react ?"

"I kicked him in the face when he grabbed my coat, bad idea: he asked for more."

"And we ran away," added Grey Wolf

"You what ?"

"What did you want us to do ? Hit him ? He would loved it and it would have been worse ! Damn, how can someone enjoy being hit ?"

"One of Mrs Palm's girls told me that some clients asked to get beaten..."

Rorschach winced at the mention of the head of the Seamstresses' Guild, which looked way stranger than shifting inkblots for the teenagers who weren't used yet to see him with a face like everyone.

"You'll never go there again !"

"Difficult, that's where I make most of the deliveries. In addition, the girls are pretty generous with me," he added smiling

"WHAT ?" boomed Rorschach as he was dangerously getting closer to the little red-head

"Hey, calm down ! I meant they gave me extra money ! You really have a dirty mind, do you ? Said nothing !"

"Oh, and I have something important to tell you," said quickly Grey Wolf to distract the older mask's attention from what his partner had just said, which apparently worked since the vigilante turned towards him.

"We've decided to regularize our situation, so I submitted the request to the City Watch and my fath... the captain Carrot..."

"Grey, he knows who your father is, you just told him, remember ?" pointed the Phantasm

"My mistake... Anyway, he found an old paper about a group of masked vigilantes who had been created in the Time of Kings. They were all members of the City Watch, well except the two women of course, that decided to defend the justice some mad king tyrannizing the City more than usual didn't respect, so they formed in secret in secret a group called the Masks of Ankh-Morpork that operated at night. My father found the document founding the group and since it's never been repealed masked justice is still legal. And we're considered as the successors of the Masks. Look, we've even inherited of the old coat of arms."

He showed to Rorschach an old piece of paper with a reproduction of the coat of arms on. The coat of arms' field was

Rorschach looked at the reproduction Grey Wolf showed him: the field of the coat of arms was made of three colors: Gules, Or, Sable and , there were also two domino-masks, one white, one black, a bat and a butterfly. On the top was the owl with the Ankh, symbol of the city and the hippopotamuses, the owl was holding the motto, a very simple one: _Pr__o Justitia, For Justice._

"Do you know something more about these masks ?"

"Well, the men were the Funny Man, the Hooded Guy, Captain Morpork, Creosote, the Butterfly and the Bat; and the women were Nightshade and Morporkia."

"What happened to them ?"

"Well, from what I understood, very little is know about them. The only trace they left was this founding act and the reproduction of their coat of arms. That's all."

Once the kids and Rincewind were gone, Rorschach thought about looking for informations concerning their predecessors.


	11. Chapter 11: Unidentified Roundworld Obje

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own _Disworld_ or _Watchmen_, Terry Pratchett and Alan Moore do, and they get paid for it, not me.**

**Here arrives something from Roundworld, wanna know what it is ? Then read further !**

**Chapter 11: Unidentified Roundworld Object**

Two weeks.

Two weeks he's been stuck in the University.

At the beginning, he thought that researching anything he could find about these first vigilantes that reminded him of the Minutemen would keep him busy for a while, unfortunately Grey Wolf was right: very, very little is known about them. In the Library, he's only found the coat of arms he had already seen and the diary of some anonymous Morporkian who had lived in the time of the Masks, with a lot of missing or unreadable pages, that the Librarian had found: the only thing he said about the Masks was that they one day suddenly disappeared and that one of them, Creosote had been killed.

And on top of it, the nurse, Mrs Sharp, had refused to get him rid of the plaster:

"Again ? You're the most stubborn patient I've ever had ! Listen to me carefully 'cause it's the last I'll tell you this: for the hundredth time I can't take the plaster off, your bones are not fixed yet, and don't tell me you feel better again ! Wait, what's this horror... don't tell me you've never cleaned yourself since you have it !" she yelled in indignation seeing the filth sticking out of the plaster, her patient decided to go away at that moment.

Moreover, he was bored stiff. He couldn't go out as Rorschach as long as his arm was trapped into this damn thing, this bloody head nurse had even forbidden him to go the gymnasium because of the plaster and his ribs she considered as still too fragile whereas he was feeling perfectly fine. It wouldn't have been a problem if the Librarian hadn't decided to help him against his will, at least that's what Rincewind told him when he translated the furious "Oook !" of the anthropoid last time he's tried to persuade him to move away from the gymnasium's door. He didn't try anything against him, fighting against the Librarian was the second most difficult task after fighting a troll. As for sneaking into it through a window, he had tried once, he succeeded to reach the window thanks to the grappling-hook but the Librarian had seen him and climbed to bring him on the ground before he could even break the window: four hands against one valid, too unfair. After this humiliating episode he decided to renounce to the gymnasium.

Things couldn't be worse.

"Rorschach, finally ! I've looked for you everywhere."

Correction, things could go worse. Since he was stuck with the wizards, Ponder had kept asking him to participate to his experiments, he had to grant something to the four-eyed wizard: he was persevering: no matter how many times he didn't answer, avoided him, threatened him, he never gave up.

"No."

"But I asked nothing."

"No need. Always the same question, always the same answer."

"It's to improve the machine that made you come here. And this experiment is inoffensive and..."

The man turned his back to him and walked away, at that moment Stibbons had a bright idea,such a bright idea that he wondered why he hadn't thought of it earlier.

"You know, the machine that allowed you to escape a certain death on Roundworld..."

Rorschach stopped. Damn, he owed the wizard for that.

"Fine," sighed the red-head

Stibbons couldn't believe it: he had finally accepted !

"On one condition."

Of course, it would have been too easy otherwise.

"Find a way to bring me back on Roun... on Earth."

"Going from the Disc to Roundworld. I don't know if it's even possible, you know... it's aldready hard and hazardous to do the contrary..."

The man remained silent some minute staring at Stibbon, who feared now that he might refuse.

"Think about it. If you find a way, you could go on Roundworld and do research here."

Stibbons thought of all the possibilities that would represent such a thing and finally said enthusiastically:

"I'll work on it. So, we have a deal ?" he said extending his hand to the vigilante, in technical unemployment for the moment, who didn't shake it. "Hmm. Follow me, will you ?"

As they walked towards the High Energy Magic Building, Stibbons bombarded the vigilante with questions about Roundworld, he ended up disappointed by his laconic answers and the rather dark picture he gave of his world, but it was better than nothing.

They entered in a room cluttered with machines where some young wizards as peaky as Stibbons were busy and didn't even notice the new-comers.

"Here is the Gateway," announced Stibbons

The Gateway was a metallic disc with a diameter of five meters covered with complicated occult signs looking like physics formulas, the older wizards reproached the lack of skulls and dripping candles, it was connected by cables to a board covered with buttons, sticks and various objects that were glued to it for no apparent reasons like a rusty strainer and an old boot **(1)**. Others cables connected it to artifact containing little balls floating in a dark sky covered with stars. Rorschach came closer to it, not listening to Stibbons.

"Hurm. Looks like the solar system..."

Curious, he was about to touch one of the little planets to see what they were made of, but Ponder suddenly ran between him and the artifact, and caught his hand before it got into the dark sky.

"No ! Don't touch anything, you would trigger a disaster !"

"I won't break your model."

"But... this is your universe !"

"Yes, a very detailed model of the universe. Will be careful, don't worry," answered the man, sounding exasperated as he freed his hand, judging the wizard was overreacting.

"You don't understand, this isn't a model, this is your world, and the little blue sphere is really the Roundworld."

Rorschach remained silent some minutes, staring at the little blue planet, and remembered suddenly the conversation the watchmen had when he arrived on Discworld, conversation he didn't pay much attention to on the moment. They had said something about a round world wizards had created... No. No way...

'"You... created it ?" managed finally to ask Rorschach

"How do you know that ? Anyway, yes we created this world by accident."

Their world, their entire universe was the result of the experiment of a bunch of crazy wizards. Now, that was the biggest practical joke ever, the Comedian would have probably loved it.

"Er... are you listening to me ?"

The man, who was still staring at his home-world, looked at Stibbons finally, anything to stop thinking about this disturbing discovery.

"Perfect. I added this so that you can take part to the experiment," said the wizard as he took away the fabric that covered the object in question.

It was a chair glued to a metallic base covered with cabalistic formulas looking like those of the Gate, there were also leather straps on the arms and the legs and an old helmet tied to a post behind the chair, the helmet was connected to the Gate and the board by cables.

This thing reminded to Rorschach a familiar object from his world where he would like to see every criminal end up but on which many people had also wished to send him too. For this reason, he didn't feel comfortable with the chair. Why was he doing that again ? Oh yes, the feeling he own his life to the wizard, the extreme boredom and the will to see his world not only as a little floating ball he could have destroyed now that he thought about it.

"As you know already, I managed to make come an object and a human being, you, from Roundworld, but none of them appeared into the Gate **(2)**. What I would like to do now would be make it appear finally into the Gate as it should, and more important, make appear a precise object. And that's why you're here Rorschach, you'll sit on this chair and when I'll tell you, you'll think about an object of your world, a big one if possible so that we can see it easily. Maybe you'll attract it by sympathy. Any questions ?"

"Yes. What are the straps for ?"

"For your safety, so that you shouldn't be propelled in the air when I'll send the thaumic energy."

"Thaumic energy ?"

"After all this time in the Library you don't know what it is ? It's the basics of magic !"

"Can't read magic books. Have tried once, the book bit me."

"Oh yes, it's true these books are already dangerous to manipulate for wizards."

"Let's turn back to the straps. You told me the experiment was inoffensive."

"What are you thinking ? I am not unconscious, I made experiments on a dummy before asking you to take part. And I can ensure you that I found the right formula and the right dosage of thaumic energy: at the eighth try the dummy was still in one piece and not even burned."

Encouraging. Rorschach was about to argue that he wasn't a dummy but decided to continue the experiment, thinking about the possibility of returning home, and let himself get tied up to the chair reluctantly. Stibbons took place behind the board and precised one last time to his guinea pig:

"And remember, concentrate on a big object from your world. Are you ready ?"

He just grunted.

Then Stibbons pronounced eighth times the same incantation as he was pushing the buttons and the sticks and an octarine halo formed around Rorschach who reacted as if he had been electrocuted, the same octarine light formed around the cables that linked the helmet and the metallic disc, finally a blast wave exploded in the room, making fall Stibbons' hat.

Stibbons, excited, came closer to the disc before the octarine smokes had completely disappeared. The result was... disappointing. There was nothing, absolutely nothing, just like last time.

"Hmm, looks like I've not found the right formula yet. Rorschach, are you alright ?" he asked, remembering the presence of the other.

He looked back and noticed the vigilante had managed to untie his valid hand from the strap and was untying his formerly plastered arm, formerly plastered indeed since the thaumic energy had made the plaster explode. He was almost smiling seeing his arm was free again, but the smile quickly disappeared when he realized his arms was still not moving. He finally untied his feet, stood up and walked towards Stibbons, who was beginning to step backwards, but contrary to what he feared, the red-heat simply walked towards the exit.

"Er... Do you consider..."

"No more experiment !"

"Are you sure ? All I have to do is ameliorate the formula and..."

Rorschach had just slammed the door.

·][·

The red-head, after leaving the Building of Magical Energy, came to the infirmary to get a new plaster, getting thus a roasting from Mrs Sharp who asked him how the hell he had done that. Then he left the infirmary, hoping no one would bother him now, he was wrong: Rincewind was running after him.

"Rorschach, here you are at least ! You must come to the Great Hall immediately !"

"Not coming," he grunted

"There's a strange object that appeared in the Great Hall. And looks like it comes from Roundworld."

He stood up reluctantly and followed Rincewind.

He arrived in the Great Hall and what he was there was quite unexpected.

"Archie ?"

Yes, it was the ship built by Nite Owl, called Archimedes after Merlin's owl-pet, that was standing right in the middle of the Great Hall and had broken some tables.

"See Rorschach ? It worked, it has just not appeared where it should have, once again !" exclaimed a visibly delighted Stibbons. "What is it by the way ?"

"Archie, a ship. MOVE AWAY !"

He ran towards the wizards who, curious, had gathered around the airship. He dispersed them but the Dean and the Major Wrangler seemed quite unwilling to obey him, they finally decided to move away when the airship suddenly threw fire at them. Rorschach saw then the smiling face of the Bursar looking at him through the window.

"Who let him get in ?" shouted Rorschach

"BURSAAAAR ! Get out of here ! That's an order !" yelled Ridcully

But the Bursar preferred to stay inside and push buttons randomly. Rorschach and the Archchancelor rushed into the airship before he trigger a disaster, but it was too late: the Bursar had in one way or another succeeded to make Archie fly, and the owlship with two wizards and a plastered vigilante inside broke out of the Great Hall through one the window

The owl-shaped ship flying at full speed outdistanced the top of the Tower of Art, giving to his three passengers a beautiful panoramic view of the city but none of them was in the mood for this.

Rorschach finally succeeded in regaining the control of the ship and drive it, which was difficult with a plastered arm, while Ridcully had managed to catch the Bursar and forced him to swallow a good handful of pills, which made him sleep. The piloting lessons Nite Owl insisted to give him had been finally useful, amazing he could remember how to pilot it after only one practical lesson. **(3)**

"Nice view," commented Ridcully. "Judging by the speed of this thing we could go to Lancre or Klatch in no time, you're not tempted by a little trip ?"

"Maybe another time. Have to land now, we're almost out of fuel."

He managed to land nose down in the University's gardens, digging a quite deep line in the freshly mowed green.

The others wizards, who had come out to look at the show, were speculating on the new Archchancelor, the speculations ended when Ridcully came out of the ship, with the Bursar over his shoulder like a potato-bag, followed by Rorschach.

"Why are you just standing there doing nothing ? Move along !"

Everyone obeyed to Ridcully except Stibbons.

"Archchancelor, may I study this ship ?"

"If that makes you happy and if you don't make it explode, why not."

Ridcully looked at the devastated green and added to himself before leaving:

"I'll ask the Bursar to give a raise to Modo when he's awoken, it should calm him a little."

Stibbons came then closer to Rorschach, who was still near Archie.

"So, you've seen it worked ? And you're still in one piece even after that accident. So, do you reconsider take part to future experiments ?"

"You have oil ?"

That wasn't an answer but he didn't say no. Encouraging.

"You mean oil like olive's oil ?"

"No, oil like black liquid underground."

"Oh, you mean treacle ?"

"Treacle ? Oh, just forget it."

·][·

_Rorschach's Journal, Century of the Anchovy_

_Have accepted to take part to Stibbons' experiment, must have been really bored to do that. Aim of the experiment: make an object come from Roundworld..._

He crossed the word out, it worried him to notice he was talking more and more like these wackjobs.

_Earth. Conclusive experiment: Archie appeared. Wonder how Daniel reacted to this, guess it shouldn't miss him that much: not as if he was using it, too busy with Miss Jupiter to fight crime. Archie could be useful here, just need energy. Magic ? No, way too risky._

_Have also learn a disturbing news: Earth has been apparently created by wizards, explains maybe why so many things are wrong._

**(1) W****izards have have tried to take them away but like for Hex, the machine didn't work without it.**

**(2) The beans can had indeed fall on the Dean's head.**

**(3) Nite Owl let him pilot Archie only one time and never asked him to do that again. He never spoke of this traumatizing experience to anyone, even Hollis Mason didn't know about it. And neither can I tell you what happened exactly since he refused to tell me too.**

**About the Archie accident concerning the driving lesson Nite Owl gave to Rorschach, I also allude to this in my Simpsons / Watchmen crossover fic _A watchman in Springfield_ but I had written this chapter for _Rorschach in Ankh-Morpork_ long before I even wrote _Watchkids_, I just didn't know yet where I could put it in the story, now it's a done and I'm happy about it because it was a chapter quite fun to write for me, I hope you enjoyed it too.  
**


	12. Chapter 12: Patrolling

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own **_**Watchmen**_** or **_**Discworld**_**, Alan Moore and Terry Pratchett do, and no, I get not paid for this.**

**In this chapter, the young vigilantes patrolling without Rorschach.**

**Sorry for the title of this chapter but I didn't have better idea.**

**I'm back ! I hope all of you had a happy summer holiday.**

**Sorry for updating that late but I wanted to work better on the chapters to come and on the general storyline, especially the end.**

**Chapter 12: Patrolling**

Fredson was alone in the streets this night, not even this annoying little dog was here.

Normally, he should have been patrolling in this district with Grey Wolf, as they agreed, while the Phantasm teamed up with Dragon. He thought that he had been patient enough, waiting for him an hour and half, what Rorschach would have never even consider doing.

Moreover, he was really getting bored: not a single crime in sight in this rather calm district of the city, if only he could have gone to the Shades like the two others, lucky bastards, there was always something happening in the Shades.

Then he saw a crowd gathered around a house, something interesting must be happening, or something criminal, which made no difference for Morporkians since they loved all kind of street-theater, including accident, robbery, crime and so on.

It amazed him to see how easier it was to made his way through the crowd as Fredson than as Oliver. When he was unmasked people didn't even noticed him so he had to remind them he was here by elbowing them, as Fredson, when people saw the mask they all instinctively made a way for him, because they fear his reaction if they don't move away fast enough and also because the arrival of a mask would make the show even better in their mind.

Then the vigilante discovered what they were all looking at.

A little chubby man was on a roof, shaking with fear, but that wasn't him who interested the crowd, it was the man who kept a knife near his throat. If the man wanted to attract attention there was however no need to threaten a man for that, his look was enough: he wore a purple suit, his hair was tinted green and he wore a rather spooky clown greasepaint, plus his large smile appeared to be more due to scars than red greasepaint. He also had a bag slung over the shoulder. Thief and kidnapper, good.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the show of the amazing Riktus ! Glad to see you are so many to admire my performance. When I think this stupid Dr White said I would never have success !"

A clown, that explained everything thought the hero, some of them tended to become more or less crazy after the harsh and cruel apprenticeship in the guild.

"And well, well, well, what have we here ? Is that one of the famous masks I've heard about ? Fredson, that's it ? Pleased to meet you," he added with a bow. "I would have liked to see the others, but hey, you can't always get what you want, ain't that true ?"

"Release this man now and I promise you won't suffer much. If you've heard about me, you know what I can do."

"No, no, no my little inkblot friend. It won't be that easy, if you want fatty, come and get him, little clown !"

On these words, he jumped from the roof after launching a dagger who went into Fredson's hat **(1)** and made it fall, before running away.

"Your hat, sir," said a little boy as he extended the hat with the knife still stuck in. "Sir ?"

"Fucking little clown, eh ?" grumbled the young mask as he took off his hat the knife after taking back his hat without even look at the kid. "You're right it'll be damn funny but not for you," he added as he ran after the clown.

·][·

The clown stopped in an alleyway not so far away and began to speak to his terrified and quite exhausted hostage.

"Ah, oh, ih, oh, eh ! Did you see the little lad's face when I launched the knife at him ? Wasn't he funny ? Answer me !" he added on a more threatening tone as he put the knife closer to the man's neck.

"D... Difficult to say with the mask sir," stammered the man

"You didn't find it funny ? Cannot smile perhaps ? I could make you a smile just like mine, you know ? And you would always be smiling, just like me ! So whadayya say ?"

"P... please, I'll give you everything you want, but please, spare me !" begged the fat man

"By the way, wanna know how I got my scars ?" asked the clown who obviously didn't paid attention to what the man had just said.

"No he doesn't !"

It was Fredson that had charged at the clown, forced him to drop the knife by a first kick and forced him to release the hostage with a second kick, this time in the family-jewels.

"Go !" simply ordered Fredson to the hostage who ran quite fast for a man of his corpulence.

Riktus tried to take back his knife but got his fingers squashed by Fredson's shoe before he could reach it.

"Don't even think about it."

"You got no sense of humor, ain't you ? Maybe I should make you a big smile like mine, and two eyes and a nose now that I think about it.

Fredson just punched in the face the clown who collapsed.

"Talk too much."

The clown looked unconscious. The young mask came closer, cautiously but didn't touch him or bent over him. And he was right to do so, because in all the multiverse you can be sure that if an adversary looks dead or unconscious, you better don't get too close to the bod, because he's just waiting for that to attack you in surprise and thus take advantage of it, but he wasn't right to look into his bag that had fallen just near him: as he opened it, a greenish smoke went out and made him cough.

·][·

"Tss, tss. You can't hold strong odor my little friend ?" asked Riktus as he picked himself up.

He then knelled towards the unconscious vigilante and took his knife very close to the fabric-mask.

"Now, I'm gonna put a smile on your face my little friend." He sighed. "What a shame the others were not here, I hope they will be as funny as you were when I meet them, sooner or later."

"What about now ?"

And he got punched in the face and found himself pinned against a wall rather brutally.

"Grey Wolf ? Glad to see you too. When are Rorschach and the others showing up ? Aaarg !..."

"What have you done to him ?" screamed at him the masked hero as he nearly strangled the clown. "If he's dead, I promise you'll pay for it," he added in a growl, the kind of growl that reminded to the monkey part still present inside each human being that it was time to flee or die in front of a predator, or pray any god you know.

A little sanity re-emerged in Riktus's mind right at that moment, reminding him he might die right now: after all he was between the hands of the only mask known to have killed someone **(2)** and on top of it his adversary was a freaking werewolf.

Suddenly a grunt was heard.

"Fred ?" exclaimed the young werewolf as he released the suffocating clown to turn towards his friend who was trying to pick himself up.

"You're alive ! For one minute I feared you might be dead," he said as he hugged the shorter vigilante against his torso a little to close.

"Arrrg ! I won't be alive for long if you don't let me go !" he managed to answer

But as his partner let him go he collapsed.

"Looks like the little one still cannot walk alone, eh ?"

He looked towards the clown, still here and looking quite amused by what he saw.

"You..." growled the mask

"Fredson, you're still weak," said Grey Wolf who tried to stop him

"Weak ?"

He punched the clown on the nose, which cracked.

"That's what you call weak ?... Wait, he's laughing ?"

Indeed, despite the blood running down his nose, Riktus was laughing like a maniac.

"Why the fuck are you laughing, you bastard ?"

"I finally put a smile on this face !"

"Crazy... why are you looking at me that way, Grey ?"

Grey Wolf, smiling, wondered if he should tell his partner the pattern of the inkblots looked now like a clown greasepaint with two blue stains for the eyes, a red one for the nose and the black ones looking like eyebrows and a big smile.

·][·

The two vigilantes were about to go home after handing over the psychotic clown to the Watch.

"Listen Fredson, I'm sorry I've been late and that you might have been killed and..." began the werewolf

"What took you so long to come?" asked sharply the shorter mask to his partner

"My little sister, she entered into my room when I was about to go out. Some nightmare and she wanted to see me, not our mother for some reason. You know how siblings are."

"No, I don't. Don't have any."

"You're an orphan, and possibly an only child. You mean you're really all alone ?"

"Hey ! Don't make it sounds like I was the little matches girl or something. I'm fine, really. Plus, I'm not alone, there's you and the others."

He smiled.

"And your little sister took you that long ?"

"No, someone had been attacked on my way and I had to rescue him, after that I've found you, thank to your smell."

"You're telling me I stinks ?"

"Er... No, I..."

"Just kidding. Thank you for coming, even that late."

·][·

In the Shades, almost at the same moment, a man was running away and after him was a young man in yellow and purple clothes, he managed to escape to the mask when the little bastard heard a scream and decided to see where it came from was more important than pursuing the man.

The man in question ran a little longer and then, realizing with relief that there was no one after him now, leaned against a wall to catch his breath: he was safe now **(3).**

Suddenly, two arms caught him and he found himself handcuffed in no time, he just heard: "Gotcha !"

He didn't dare to look back. Was it Rorschach ? He knew the psychopath hadn't been seen in town for a while but who knows.

"Commissioner ?" said Dragon who had just arrived and had managed not to say "Dad". "Thank you very much."

Commissioner ? Thought the man. That was not comforting too.

"You're alone ?"

"No, the Phantasm is still taking care of the others. It's the only one who escaped. By the way I should join her now, help could needed."

"Please ! Bring me in jail right now if you want but please don't take me back there !" exclaimed the prisoner

"Don't sound like she needs help to me," pointed Vimes

"She doesn't, but these guys will, if there's anything left to save," answered the mask

·][·

"Miss, please could you release him ?" asked a tall watchman in shining armor. "I understand why you're so mad at him and I can ensure you they will all be punished for that."

The Phantasm stopped punching at the man she had grabbed by the collar, whose face would be hard to recognize know, but hesitated some minutes before releasing him, what she hadn't accepted to do until captain Carrot asked her. The man ran towards the watchmen, like his partners had done before him, they also looked terrible.

"What did these guys do to your girlfriend to deserve such a beating, kid ?" asked Vimes looking at the wounded scums handcuffed near an impressive pile of burning paper.

"She's not my girlfriend. And they deserved it, well she maybe overreacted a bit by making them eat some of the magazines but still."

"What kind of magazines ?"

"The kind with no words printed in and ladies wearing practically nothing who are doing rather indecent things. Except she was the "heroine" of these papers. I burnt all of them."

"You mean the kind of papers that would make _The Shuttered Palace_ looks like the Book of Om ? By the way, you're lucky I found it in your room before your mother."

"Yes this kind of book... Wait, what ?"

Then, he saw the Phantasm leaving the place after talking a little with Igor, which distracted him from what the commissioner had just said, and stopped her.

"Phantasm ? You're leaving that early ?"

"Yes, I'm going home," she answered as she freed herself quite brutally from the young man's grip.

"I'm coming with you."

"Do I look like I need protection ?"

She still was red with anger and there even was a little blood on her costume, not her of course. She indeed didn't look defenseless.

"Er, no. Wait !"

As she left, walking faster, he turned towards the commissioner before going after her.

"Sorry, but I must leave. I can't leave her alone."

"I understand."

·][·

"Amathing thif young lady," said Igor after the two masked-heroes had left

"For what she did to these men ?"

"No commissioner, she defcribed me very precisely the wounds she made to these men. Wif all the bones and muscles names. She could become a forensic one day."

·][·

"¨Phantasm !"

She stopped.

"Listen, please. Earlier I didn't mean you were defenseless. Not at all. I just thought you shouldn't be left alone after seeing this kind of things. That's all. Can I stay with you ?" he added seeing the girl was still silent.

"Yes, of course."

After they had walked a few minutes, she added, sounding more calm:

"Sorry for screaming at you earlier, but this really hacked me off. These drawings of me doing all these disgusting things."

She shivered from disgust.

"Well, at least they won't be able to do it again, it will be a miracle if they can still use their fingers after what you did to them."

"Yes, and there will remains nothing from this. Thanks to you."

"Thanks to Phoenix more exactly. He put fire to the magazines, I was just holding him."

"Don't be that modest. You also hit some of these thugs."

She stopped.

"I leave you here, I'm almost home now. Thank you Sam," she said as she kissed him quickly on a cheek just before going.

Sam, who was still Dragon for the moment, remained still. That was quite unusual. Her partner had kissed him and called him by his name. That was a first. And she had kissed him.

·][·

Finally, Sam came back home, using an underground passage ending in one of the Ramkin's house numerous cellars that Gavin had shown him when they were kids **(4)**. There, he hid his costume carefully, even if no one went in that cellars that, like many rooms in the big and ancient house, hadn't been visited for at least three centuries, and put on some civil clothes.

He came to the kitchen, and found there his father who, like he did after all night-patrol, was eating a sandwich with bacon salad and tomatoes, well you could see little green and red bits in the bacon that could be tomatoes and salad more exactly.

"Hello son, couldn't sleep too ?" he asked, smiling

"How did you recognized me, Dad ?"

"You're my son, do you really think your old man won't recognize with just a domino-mask and your attempt at changing your voice ?"

"First of all, I want you to know that, concerning _The Shuttered Palace_, it's not what you think. It was purely cultural..."

"Of course son, of course."

"Okay, maybe, not entirely cultural. Does it bother you ?"

"That you've read this book ?"

"No, the fact I'm a mask."

"From a legal point of view, why should it ? You do nothing illegal since Carrot has found some old paper making masked justice okay, you're even member of the City Watch in a way second the same papers. As a father though it does worry me, that's why I keep an eye on you when I'm on patrol. Like this night."

"That explains why you always find us that quickly when we catch someone."

"Just curious about one thing, why do you do that ?" asked his father as he lighted a cigar

"It looked like a good idea to show my D-food worked, and a training for the Watch since I can do nothing for the moment. Can I have one too ?" he asked pointing at the cigar.

"No, you've stolen enough from me. So, you still wanna become a watchman ?"

"Of course. Why are you asking that ?"

"Your mother told me you preferred taking care of the dragons."

"I can conciliate being a watchman and a dragon care-taker, the dragon's potion really works now."

"True I have seen no smoking crater, and no burn-victims, how did you do that ?"

"The melange just make the dragon's flame hurts, they can't burn, except if you maintain it too long."

"And you made this potion entirely by your own ?"

"No, an alchemist helped."

"You came to see an alchemist ?" asked a bewildered Vimes

"He has a rather good reputation and the prices are reasonable. Oh, and his lotion rarely explode."

"Well, looks like you've found one of the few competent alchemist in town then. But that's not a reason to be careless, you're aware of that ?"

"Fully."

"Bingle, bingle, bingle ! Your Grace, Samuel Vimes, Duke of Ankh, you have 50. 588 messages you haven't read yet," said a quite irritating high pitched voice

More precisely the voice was coming from a little imp who had came out of a little black box that had been through a lot judging by all the bumps and scratches that covered it.

"I've already told you, stop

"Is that the new Dis-organiser Mom bought you ?"

"Unfortunately."

"I thought you finally managed to get rid of it."

"Well, looks like the publicity of the blasted wizards who did it was true: "If lost, it will find you."

"It's been quite hard to walk all the way from Borogravia to Ankh-Morpork but I finally found you," said happily the imp

Vimes glared at the imp, he still didn't understand why his beloved wife had insisted in offering him the last model of Dis-organiser, he had told her he was happy with the Gooseberry, that was at least a little competent contrary to his predecessors,. She retorted the new model could perform a lot more tasks than the Gooseberry: the problem was that he was more incompetent than the others since that he could perform the various tasks it's been designed for only after reading the manual, that was even bigger than the Book of Om and lost anyway **(5). **But the worst thing was that the imp had been enchanted so that he could find his owner anywhere, no matter how far it was: the blasted thing came back from Borogravia where he "lost" it during some diplomatic reception.

"Your Grace ? Will you read your message ? Or see the offers the Merchants Guild proposes to you this day, perhaps ?"

"How can I get rid of this thing ?" moaned Vimes

"If he just follows his owner, why don't you just give him to someone else ?"

"Good idea. It's yours, son," he said as he gave the godsdammed thing to his son

"Hello, I am proud to tell you that you are the owner of the Gooseberry New Generation...," begins the imp

"Thank you, Dad... thank you very much," said Sam Jr, making it sounds like if he was drinking poison.

"You're welcome," answered his father as a pigeon entered by the opened window, it had a message tied to its leg, Vimes unfold it and read it. "You can say all you want about new technology but the good old pigeons remains the best way to send message for me."

"What does it says ?"

"I'll tell you later, I must go now. Tell your mother I couldn't stay, that it was an emergency."

"As usual."

"Bye son."

"Bye Dad."

"Sir ? Sir ? You haven't entered your name yet," reminded the imp to Sam as his father had gone

"How can I get rid of this ?" said to himself Sam, wondering why the hell he didn't shut up.

**(1) Who was quite glad at that moment he had chosen a top hat.**

**(2) He of course didn't know about Rorschach's past on Roundworld.**

**(3) Well as safe as you can be in the Shades of course.**

**(4) One of the advantages of having a dwarf (even if he is only technically one) as a friend: getting some interesting tips about the passages, tunnels and rooms under the city**

**(5) By "lost" you must understand "used as food for dragons": the paper was a good combustible so it was an acceptable food for them and Vimes had finally found out that the little buggers could be useful not only to light a cigar.**

**I hope I didn't make Vimes too OCC, it's one of my favorite characters but I really find it difficult to handle him, that's why I won't use him much in the fic, unless of course if I change my plans meanwhile.**

**By the way, I've made an illustration of the encounter between Rorschach and Fredson in Chapter on my DA account (you can see the address on my profile) if you want to see, it is entitled "Rorschach in Ankh Morpork", I precise it because I'm not sure the link works.  
**

.com/art/RORSCHACH-IN-ANKH-MORPORK-251137424


End file.
